VAMPIRE STALKER
by ULYFERAL
Summary: Dr. Viper is out for revenge and created a nightmare that will drench the city in blood and death.
1. Chapter 1

**VAMPIRE STALKER**

Chapter 1: A New Menace in Megakat City

The moon was rising over the putrid smelling area known as Megakat Swamp. Located far south of the city, the waters are clogged with plant life and crocodiles. No Kat lives here but one. Dr. Viper had built a hidden home and lab near the center of the swamp which is why no one could find him.

Tonight he was busy working in his lab. Rage burned in his heart as he focused on creating his most heinous and deadliest creature yet. He wanted revenge on the vicious treatment he received in prison which he had recently managed to escape from yet again.

All his previous plans had been defeated by the SWAT Kats but this time, the creature he was creating would destroy his enemies in a cold and most hideous manner that death would be much more preferable.

Laughing evilly, he glanced over at his prisoner. The poor homeless Kat had been hunting for food and shelter a little too close to the edge of the swamp and was captured by fast moving plants and brought here. Gripping the bars of his cage, he watched in horror as the mutant Kat muttered and mixed strange chemicals for many hours. He shivered in terror, afraid the mad creature intended to use him as a guinea pig for his next experiment. His guess would be right.

_Weeks later........_

"Uncle, we've searched the whole area and can't find what did this." Felina said frustrated after hours spent in canvassing the entire area.

"This makes the sixth kat killed over the last three days. No witnesses, blood drained from the victim, same MO, no robbery, no apparent motive found, none of the victims know each other....apparently totally random as well." Feral listed off what they did know and wasn't happy they hadn't been able to stop what was beginning to look like a serial killer.

Then there was the mystery of the dead victim's bodies disappearing from the morgue. He'd just been informed that every victim that had died a couple of days ago were missing. Security had not been compromised so it was a mystery as to how they had left with no one seeing.

News stations and papers were calling the attacker the "Vampire Stalker." People were terrified to be out at night and demanded the enforcers find this thing. Feral was trying to do just that but wasn't having any luck since the attacker left no clue except for a small amount of its DNA in the bite itself but the tests run on it made no sense at all to CSI personnel who had been trying to identify it. Every victim had the same DNA but that only told them it was the same creature and nothing more.

Totally frustrated and very worried, Feral signaled an end to the search and returned to Enforcer Headquarters. He and Felina went down to the Biotech Labs in their building to see if Dr. Konway had been able to make a break through on the DNA sample.

Unfortunately, Konway didn't have very good news. "I'm sorry Commander. The only thing I've been able to discover is the thing is a Kat but enough of its DNA has been corrupted in some way to make a new creature that apparently craves blood." He said unhappily.

"I can think of only one person who could do that because he'd done it once before......Dr. Viper." Felina said darkly.

Konway studied her a moment then nodded. "I believe you may be right lieutenant. It would certainly be in character and within his skills to do this to some poor bugger."

"Well, fine so our perp could also be a victim." Feral groaned, rubbing his neck. This case had now moved into the weird category where Viper's stuff normally dwelt. He hated this creepy stuff. "So have you been able to get a lead on how to reverse this, whatever it is, that Viper's done?"

The enforcer scientist sighed and pulled his glasses off a moment before answering. "I and my staff have been working around the clock on this, sir. Whatever Viper has done is really complex and we've only just begun to map the DNA fragments. It will take time and can't be rushed. I know more victims are going to suffer, but we're doing everything we can here."

Feral eyed his tired scientist thoughtfully. "Would it help to farm out some of the research effort, get fresher eyes and other angles checked out?" He asked.

Konway nodded. "Yes, sir. That would be an excellent idea. The more minds working on this the better our chances of finding some way to reverse it."

"Alright. I'll leave it to you to ask the right people and if you run into any problems, tell me immediately. The Mayor is up in arms about this and will apply some political muscle if its needed.

"Yes sir." Konway said then turned back to his work while Feral and Felina left for his office.

As they walked out of the labs and headed back to Feral's office, Felina huffed in frustration. "We're doing everything we possibly can and yet that thing is killing a victim a night. Not even the SWAT Kats can catch a shadow."

Her uncle snorted at that last part. "For once, I'd be happy to let those two hotshots try. We're not having any luck and so many are going to die. We can't afford to turn away any help."

Felina nearly stopped in her tracks at that admission. It meant her uncle was truly worried about this new menace. She had to admit so was she.

_Megakat Salvage Yard........._

Jake flicked the TV off and sat there chilled to his marrow.

"Crud! That just gives me the willies!" Chance said, breaking the uneasy silence.

They'd been watching David Litterbin when the a news flash burst in about the latest death by the so called 'Vampire Stalker'.

"And we're just as helpless as the enforcers against this thing. There's just no trace left but victims." Jake said, shaking his head unhappily.

"Yeah I know. I hate feeling helpless and I'm not ashamed to admit this has me really spooked." Chance murmured, shivering.

"Me too." His partner said in a small voice.

They continued to sit there in silence, reluctant to go to bed, a feeling of dread weighing them down. How do you fight something that leaves nothing of itself behind?

Hiding in a dark hole it had found to protect it from the light of day, the mad creature licked its lips, satisfied for another night. The fear.......the sweet copper taste of fresh blood......had been so delicious. Some part of its mind cringed at that hideous memory of blood and death.....it screamed helplessly unable to fight the compulsion ruling its body to take blood or die. Whimpering to itself, it curled up in a ball and waited till the light of day brought blessed freedom from reality.

In his hidden lab, Dr. Viper rubbed his paws together in joyful pleasure. "Yessss......ssssuccessss at lassst. The enforcerssss are helplessss to sssstop my creature and now there are more of them. The foolssss think they are chassssing one but that one hasssss created more of itssself. Ssssoon thissss city will be mine!" He laughed hideously.

In various dark places around the city newborn creatures hid from the light of day. The next night they would awaken, ravenous. Soon the city would be drowning in blood and death.


	2. Chapter 2

**VAMPIRE STALKER**

Chapter 2: The Horror In the Night

The next morning shone bright and sunny. In the light of day the fears of the night seemed to be forgotten by the populace as they went about their day as usual.

Feral was tired as he stared out his window. He'd tried to get some sleep but a nagging fear kept him awake. He just knew, whatever it was Viper had planned, the few deaths that had occurred were only the tip of the iceberg. He had no doubt tonight would be the start of a war they might not win. That sent shudders of fear up his spine.

One would think Dark Kat would be a major threat and he certainly could be but it was Dr. Viper who frightened people the most because of his ability to warp Katkind with his experiments. Dark Kat simply blew things up or took over things on a grand scale but Viper's threat was far more insidious and longer lasting. Of the two, he was the one to be feared the most.

Shaking himself, he went back to his desk. He had enough work to occupy himself and there was absolutely nothing he could do about the nightmare creeping up on them than what he'd already set in motion. He truly wished there was more he could do, hating the feeling of helplessness.

At the far end of the city, the salvage yard was open and the garage was already busy. Chance was working on an enforcer sedan while Jake was doing a tune up on the old lady Kat's little car. The radio played in the background. Their minds were focused on their work, firmly keeping at bay the fear of the coming night.

Over at city hall, Calico Briggs had paused to do the same thing the Commander had done, stare out her window at the vibrant and busy city. She shuddered suddenly, rubbing her arms as if she was cold. The threat of Dr. Viper made her very afraid for the Katizens of this city. She feared they were in for a nightmare ride worse than any they'd survived before.

Even the SWAT Kats were not equipped to fight something that slithered through the night, invisible until it struck a new victim then disappeared once more. Like Feral, she hated being helpless but like him there was nothing she could do and she refused to harass the dark tom like the Mayor wanted. She knew he was doing everything he could and for once she truly believed it to. She'd seen the haunted and tired look in his eyes. No.....she would leave him alone......he bore the brunt of this nightmare and she refused to heap anymore on him.

Sighing unhappily, she returned to her heavily littered desk and dug into her work. The Mayor had gone to the golf course, saying 'I need to get away from the suffocating fear'. She snorted at that since she still had to deal with it. 'The coward.' She muttered irritably.

The day seemed to speed by and dusk was soon arriving and with it the rising level of fear. As soon as the sun began to disappear, Katizens began looking over their shoulders nervously as they hurried home, locking their doors and refusing to leave until morning.

Unfortunately, night shift jobs couldn't be left, but the workers there demanded their bosses keep doors closed tight. Hospitals kept unguarded doors firmly locked as did fire departments and the enforcers. Those on patrol, went in pairs everywhere and used bright spot lights in darken areas, anything to help dispel their fear.

All there precautions were for naught. As soon as darkness fell, the hidden creatures crept from their hiding places and sought the unwary. Hunting was a little harder due to the Katizens taking the danger to heart and hiding inside their homes but there were still the arrogant, the stupid, the criminal minded, the homeless, and, unfortunately, the duty bound to prey on.

A thief, taking advantage of the night and empty streets to burglarize a local business, made his last mistake in judgement as a dark shadow snatched him from the window he'd been about to climb in.

He screamed as cold paws with long claws dug into his body. No matter how hard he struggled he couldn't break the steel grip that held him. A mouth full of sharp fangs grabbed his neck, sending intense pain pouring through him, but he was paralyzed by that first bite and couldn't scream. His eyes rolled wildly as the creature fed from him then coldness and death ended his fear.

Police foot patrols did their beats despite the terror in the night. However, that very unknown terror made them a bit more trigger happy and tense.

A pair, one older, the other a rookie were walking along a fairly busy street that was thinning fast and shops that normally stayed open were closing early and in unseemly haste.

"Everyone's really spooked, Sarge." The rookie commented as he watched the lights go out in a place normally known to stay open rather late. No one was hanging about either and that was unusual for this area as well.

"They've certainly got reason to." The sergeant grunted, his eyes roaming restlessly over the area as darkness fell completely, only streetlights illuminating their beat now.

"Yeah, gives me the creeps being out here."

"It's our job."

"I know, but........what was that?" The rookie said, pulling his weapon and staring nervously down an alley they were passing.

The sergeant didn't answer as he too pulled his weapon and flicked his flashlight on. The rookie only then remembered he had a flash too and pulled it out to shine down the alley. Nothing could be seen. The two stood tensely, ears cocked forward, waiting for another sound.

Out of the darkness, charging into the light for them, was something that looked like a crazed Kat. It knocked the sergeant off his feet. The rookie cried out and tried to take aim at the attacker, his weapon set on low stun as per regulations. The sergeant and the crazed thing rolled around, the older Kat trying desperately to hold the creature's mouth away from him. He screamed at the rookie to shoot.

The shout of fear rocked the young patrolkat and he fired into the face of the creature but it had no effect. Afraid his partner would be killed, the younger cop shoved his weapon in his pocket and dropped his flash so he could try and yank the attacker off.

To his horror it was like trying to pull away a bull, the creature was too strong and paid the rookie no attention as he ripped into the sergeant's throat. Blood sprayed all over its face and the now dying older patrolkat.

Screaming in anger with tears falling down his face, the rookie yanked uselessly at the creature, no longer afraid only furious that he'd failed to save his partner, in so doing he forgot about his own safety.

Finished with its first target the creature turned on the rookie. He fought but it did him no good as he too was killed brutally.

Staring around it for a moment, the creature licked its lips of the blood still clinging to them then turned and disappeared back down the alley.

Everything was still once more. In the stark street light, two bodies lay strewn on the sidewalk. When the patrol failed to answer a radio check-in call, a car patrol was sent out and found the grisly scene.

In many other spots around the city, the same terror was being repeated again and again until the sated creatures slunk away to their dark holes to rest through the day.

Feral had been rousted out of bed after he'd finally managed to fall asleep, by the toning of his radio. Heart hammering, he nearly knocked it off his night stand in his rush to get it.

"Feral!"

"Sir, two patrolkats were killed. They didn't respond to a check-in so a patrol car went out. They found them at 1021 Borden Ave." Dispatch grimly announced.

"Acknowledged. Has the morgue been called and CSI?" He asked as he climbed out of bed to get dress.

"On scene, sir."

"Good. Notify them I'm on my way." Feral said then disconnected.

"Yes sir."

Feral disconnected then began dressing. 'And so it begins.' He thought in anguished dismay.

By the time he arrived at the gory scene, he'd received calls that more bodies had been found. His heart sank. The total so far was now fourteen dead in just a few days. There was no telling how many more there were until the light of day uncovered the bodies.

It was going to be a long night.

By morning the death toll was tallied at twenty dead. The bodies were being chained to their shelves and locked into the bank of morgue tubes. It was hoped they didn't get up and leave. It was unfortunate that no one was being funny when that was said.

When Feral had checked-in with Dr. Konway and told him of the new dead, the doctor's eyes were red with exhaustion and sorrow.

"I've sent samples to ten different labs, seven of which are outside Megakat City." He told the Commander. "It's obvious the first creature infected his victims and those are the ones who are now killing and infecting others."

"But.....they're dead! How are they able to infect others much less get up and do it." Feral said in utter confusion.

Konway looked at him in anguish. "They aren't dead, apparently. The victims go into a state of suspended animation that mimics death. After their body has completely altered they rise to hunt for fresh blood which is the only food they can ingest now."

"How the heck do you know that? We haven't caught one of the things yet."

"Extrapolation of the facts at paw, Commander. We may be in error plus or minus a tenth of a percent, but we feel we're fairly accurate of what Viper intended." Konway said grimly.

Feral felt sick inside. So the victims weren't really dead but the living dead. He grimaced at that thought. It sounded too much like some horror movie but unfortunately, they were living the real thing.

Shaking his head, he began to leave. Over his shoulder he said, "Just keep at it Dr. Konway. We're obviously in a war we are losing."

Konway sighed, pulled his glasses off and rubbed his tired eyes. 'I know that Commander.' He muttered softly as he returned to work.

As he was fixing his breakfast, Jake had flicked on the TV and was listening as he rummaged around in the kitchen. When he heard the news flash, he hurried to the living room and stood watching Ann Gora report the horror of the night.

"We have received reports of up to sixteen deaths from the Vampire Stalker. There are possibly more but Commander Feral has put a clamp down on the case. He says next of kin needs to be notified. No new information has come to light as to how to stop this creature. The enforcers seem helpless against it as two of their own died horribly doing their duty last night. We at Katseye News will keep you informed as new information is released. This is Ann Gora......."

Jake felt sick and afraid. The attacks were succeeding and nothing he had in his arsenal could fight it. Then he paused as a stray thought crossed his mind. Perhaps there was a way but he needed to know more about this creature.

At that moment, Chance walked in, stretching and yawning.

"Jake?" He asked as he noted his partner just standing in the center of the living room, his expression one he recognized. "What is it, buddy?" He asked warily.

Jake blinked and focused his attention on his partner. "The news reported up to sixteen more victims have been found." He said grimly.

Chance's face fell. "Gods!"

"I think I might have an idea of how to capture this thing but I need to know more about it. The only one that might have that answer is Dr. Konway." Jake told him.

His partner eyed him uncertainly. "Are you sure we're not dealing with the supernatural here, buddy?"

"Won't know that until I ask, Chance. Let's go! I don't want to waste another moment." Jake said tightly, flicking the TV off, skipping breakfast and heading for the kitchen trapdoor to the hangar.

Chance sighed and raced after his partner.


	3. Chapter 3

**VAMPIRE STALKER**

Chapter 3: Blood Sample

The Enforcers were on heightened alert status which made entering much harder. Jake had an idea that Chance hadn't liked much at all.

"We won't be able to sneak in the way we normally do since they are all very tense right now. So this is the best way." Jake said as he stuffed his coveralls in a backpack.

"I don't like it." Chance grumbled doing the same with his.

"Noted! Now let's go!" Jake said as he put on his Razor persona. His partner grumbling the whole time.

Not wanting the enforcers to know they were there, they went by cyclotron. Racing through city traffic so fast they were a blur, they reached their destination in less than ten minutes. Now the hard part was getting into the building.

They parked their bikes behind a local business that was just a couple of buildings from enforcer headquarters. Finding a small storage space that was nearly empty, they stepped in and changed their clothes. Rolling their g-suits inside a used t-shirt to hide their distinctive colors then packing them at the bottom of their backpacks with lunch on top, they put the pack on then sauntered up to the main entrance.

As they expected, they were halted inside the door as were everyone else that was carrying any type of bag. The search was nearly thorough. The officer had pulled out the lunches, then reached down and felt around what he could obviously feel were clothes, found nothing else then released them.

Sighing under their breaths, they repacked their backpacks and headed for the elevators. They decanted one floor below the Biotech Labs, found a secure place to change their clothes once more then went up the emergency stairs to the labs. The scientists here were usually too oblivious to note anyone entering the lab so no one took any notice of the SWAT Kats gliding through and quickly heading for Dr. Konway's office.

The head of the BioTech Labs was hunched over his computer, his face grim and tired, his fingers rapidly tapping in some information as the pair slipped in and closed his door.

Konway didn't look up, his focus to intense on his work so T-Bone quietly cleared his throat. The doctor jerked then looked around behind him and gaped.

"SWAT Kats! What are you doing here?" He asked a bit sharply.

"Trying to get more information on the creature killing katizens. We wanted to see if there was anything we could do to stop this thing." Razor said quickly.

Konway sighed and leaned back in his chair. "It isn't a single creature any longer." He said heavily.

T-Bone moaned, "Oh God!" Razor went still, his face grim. This was far worse than they'd even imagined.

"The first creature, which we suspect was altered by something Dr. Viper had done, bit others for their blood and infected them. When they woke the next night, the new victims began to make more like themselves. It's a rapidly escalating nightmare and we have, at present, no way to stop it." Konway told them.

"Crud! So it's an experiment and not the supernatural were dealing with." Razor said tightly.

"Yes. Viper has changed the DNA of a Kat to this blood drinking creature who hides during the day and comes out at night. At the present moment, the last batch of victims are chained to shelves and locked in the morgue vaults, which we hope will contain them.

My problem is, I'm not able to get blood from the altered creatures to compare it with their victims before they are changed. I need to get a sample near dark when the bodies have nearly finished their change but as violent and deadly as these things are, anyone trying to do it may end up becoming the next victim.

Razor frowned, "Then it seems to me we need to wait in the morgue and protect you while you get this sample.

"I know you want to solve this and save our city, Razor, but you can't help them if you are changed too." Konway warned, worried about losing their best warriors..

"Feral will be there too I'm certain. We'll make sure we outnumber them as best we can. I have flash bulb missiles that might keep the creatures at bay. I was going to try freezing and/or tar missiles too, in hopes they'll do the trick of holding them still." Razor suggested.

"I really don't know if that will work, Razor." Konway said shaking his head.

"Won't know until it's tried!" Came a deep, familiar voice from the door.

The three turned quickly and saw Feral come into the lab and walk up to them.

"I won't ask how you managed to get in here yet again, SWAT Kats, all that matters right now is to stop this roller coaster of death before we are left with a city of dead." Feral rumbled grimly.

T-Bone eyed Feral in surprise and deep concern. For Feral to accept their aid, things had to be really grim indeed.

"I think their idea is the only one that's feasible right now, Konway. However, I won't force you to do this. You can show one of us how to withdraw the sample. As a matter of fact, I think it wiser that you don't try. You are the only one doing the research on this. It would take too long to bring another scientist up to snuff on what you've already accomplished," Feral decided.

Konway relaxed a little. He hadn't wanted to go down there with those corpses. He was terrified but he would have done it if no one else did. "It's not that difficult to do. Who wants to learn it?" He asked, turning to reach into a drawer for a needle and storage capsule.

"I'll do it. I've learned enough medical stuff to not be squeamish about drawing blood," Razor said firmly, stepping up to the doctor and taking the needle. Konway gave him brief instructions on what to do.

"Alright, you say we need to get the sample just as they are about to waken? Then we need to get some rest and meet here again at an hour before dusk. I'll leave orders to allow you entrance. See you here in Konway's office this evening," Feral told the pair.

"Roger. We'll be back here by eight p.m.," Razor agreed grimly. Nodding at Feral and Konway, the two departed the lab and reversed the method they'd used to get in.

They were silent on the ride back to their hangar. Pulling in they shut off their engines and took off their helmets.

"This is much worse than we feared, buddy. Are we going to be able to stop it?" T-Bone said worriedly.

"I don't know, T-Bone. I'm worried too. Viper had really done it this time but all we can do is our best. However, the one that will solve this is Dr. Konway so we must do the best we can to keep the creatures at bay and do whatever he needs us to do to stop this," Razor said tightly as he stripped his uniform off. "Meanwhile, I want to load up on whatever weapons I think will help us tonight then we'll do what Feral ordered........rest and be ready for tonight."

Chance sighed in silent agreement. The next hour was spent in putting together an arsenal they hoped would keep them alive against this new enemy.

At Enforcer Headquarters, Feral put out an order for a select team to go into the morgue and any weapons that he thought might be of use against the creatures. Leaving his second in command he went to his temporary sleeping quarters at headquarters and attempted to get some rest. That was easier said then done as his mind wouldn't quiet as it ran through strategies that would ensure he and his officers survived the dangerous task ahead.

Evening came much more swiftly than the team expected probably because they were so anxious for it to be over. The team met in Konway's lab with the SWAT Kats arriving just minutes after Feral did.

"Alright, you all know what we're attempting to do. It's imperative that we succeed if we are to put a stop to this horror. Razor is collecting the sample that is desperately needed. Everyone is to guard him to insure he can get it without being eaten alive first. I won't gloss over this.....it will be extremely dangerous down there when those things wake up so be alert at all times and whatever you do, keep those things at bay and don't let them take you. Any questions?" Feral asked grimly.

Silence greeted him along with tense and grim faces.

"Fine, let's go!" He said then led the way to the elevators.

Minutes later, the group arrived at the morgue. Per Feral's earlier orders, the morgue staff had already been evacuated. No one was on this floor and the elevator was temporarily disabled and guards set before them. They couldn't risk any of the creatures escaping into the building.

Feral knew the creatures were victims but until there was a cure, they were unfortunately expendable. That meant if any did manage to escape the morgue and reach the elevators the guards were ordered to use flame throwers and not allow the things to get close to them.

Hoping he had done enough to protect his people, Feral and his team with the SWAT Kats entered the morgue. They passed through the lab and into the body room. It was cold, still, and smelled of death. They were twenty bodies here, locked and chained in place.

"I suggest we take the body closest to the door for ease of escape," Feral muttered to Razor.

"Yeah, I agree," the smaller SWAT Kat said, hiding his shudder of fear. This had to be the scariest thing he'd ever done.

"I'm right beside you, buddy," T-Bone reassured his friend, afraid as well but not showing it.

Feral directed his officers to form a small half circle at the double doors and keep their eyes peeled on the other drawers. No way did they want someone to sneak up on them.

Now ready they stood waiting tensely. Fear ratcheted up as the clock ticked loudly in the room. Palms were sweating and some were shivering with dread but no one moved from their positions.

Feral felt stiff and nervous. Time seemed to crawl. The clock on the wall clicked to show eight forty-five. When the things would awaken was unknown but now was the time to attempt taking the sample. He moved forward and yanked the drawer they had chosen open. The sound of the drawer making a 'chunk' sound as it hit the end of its glides made everyone jump in their skin.

The body was a young male around twenty years old. He was already very pale and his neck was a bloody mess.

Swallowing nervously, Feral stepped back and held his weapon ready as Razor and T-Bone moved close. Razor quickly reached for a limp arm on the body and stuck the needle home. T-Bone held his glovatrix at the ready.

Razor frowned in annoyance as he failed to get any blood from his first attempt. Pulling the needle free he moved to where Dr. Konway suggested he try if the arm didn't hold enough blood to draw. He plunged the needle into the young tom's chest and straight into the heart.

Finally, blood welled into the needle. Razor nearly sighed in relief as he withdrew as much as he could. Just as he began to pull the needle out the body suddenly jerked and a sound that set their fur rising issued from the torn throat. Razor hurriedly pulled the needle and protected it as he quickly shot it into the carrying tube just as the dead body broke the chain holding it and snatched at him.


	4. Chapter 4

**VAMPIRE STALKER**

Chapter 4: Morgue Rumble

The dead young tom's eyes were red and had a wild animal look in them as he grabbed Razor's wrist and tried to pull it to his mouth. Feral, being closer than T-Bone, fired into the male's face, blowing it to pieces.

Razor jerked his wrist free from the still writhing corpse without a head and brought up his own weapon when he and the others heard banging noises coming from all the storage units. By the sounds, it was obvious the dead bodies had awakened and been able to break the chains that held them.

A few of the units were beginning to warp from fists and feet kicking at the lids.

"This doesn't look good, buddy!" T-Bone said tensely.

"They're much stronger than we could have imagined and will escape those tubes real soon Everyone be ready and do what Feral did, aim for the heads!" Razor ordered all those around him.

Feral didn't countermand the order nor comment, he simply moved until he had joined the semi-circle of enforcers at the door with the SWAT Kats flanking them on either side. Everyone was scared and tense.

Not for the last time, Feral prayed his precautions would keep these things from escaping into the building. He was also worried about any of his troops getting grabbed and bitten. Once these things had a hold of you they didn't let go and that was the most frightening thing about this whole business.

His thoughts were interrupted by no less than five storage units bursting open, the lids flying and hitting the floor with loud bangs like gun shot. The creatures crawled free and leaped the distance to the door as if shot from cannons putting them right on top of the clustered enforcers making them nearly impossible targets.

Everyone opened fired but the creatures had already taken out four enforcers before their comrades could shoot. It was terrifying to hear their fellow officers scream as they were literally ripped and drained. The officers still standing tried to yank the creatures off but the things were far too strong so they were forced to shoot through the back of the dead Kat's head and into their fellow officers because they were already dead beneath the creatures attacking them.

The air was filled with screams and curses. Feral was turning to fire at more creatures coming from the wall units when a she-kat threw him to the ground and began to try and strangle and bite him. Terrified, he fought as hard as he could to free himself from the abnormally strong she-kat choking him......it was a losing battle. He couldn't free a paw since both were needed to keep the creature at bay. He struggled frantically, using his feet to kick and bucking his body but nothing seemed to deter the thing as it leaned its face closer to him. The stench coming from the gaping mouth of the altered Kat was stomach wrenching as it's fangs finally reached his face. He screamed as sharp teeth ripped his cheek.

Elsewhere in the room battles for life were going on. Razor had managed to tar a couple of faces while T-Bone had blasted one in the face that came inches from grabbing him. As he kept firing into the rest of the creatures heading for them, he was sickened to see some of the enforcers had lost the battle and the creatures were feeding on them. Fury and fear made T-Bone a killing machine.

Using his most lethal weapons, he aimed for all the faces he could see. He made the anguished decision to also kill the already dead enforcers as well. They would not have thought it a kindness to be left alive to kill their fellow officers when they woke the next evening.

A loud scream to his left made him turn quickly. Shock and horror seized him when he saw a creature beginning to rip Feral's cheek off. The two were too close together, so he moved closer, dropped down and fired point blank into the creatures face which spilled disgusting stuff all over the badly injured Feral.

He couldn't take the time to see if Feral would be alright or offer first aid as more of the things tried to jump him and the helpless enforcer.

Feral couldn't move. The bite had paralyzed him. Terrible fear raced through him as he was forced to listen to the horror going on around him. His eyes could only look upward and occasionally he caught sight of T-Bone guarding him as he kept anymore creatures from coming near them.

Out in the hallway to the morgue, Razor and other enforcers had been driven out of the room. Razor managed to kill two more dead Kats and one enforcer before one of the things managed to latch onto leg. The pain of the bite was excruciating, causing him to scream but he still managed to fire his arc welder into the thing's face and destroyed it.

The wound was a searing pain at first then it went numb and so did the rest of his body. Horrified, Razor realized the virus was racing through him and that he couldn't move at all. How long would it be before he couldn't breath either.

Not knowing Razor's precarious condition but seeing he was injured badly, the two enforcers guarding the elevator, quickly fired rapidly at another creature coming at the fallen SWAT Kat killing it. No more followed as a sudden silence fell.

Hoping that meant it was over, one of the pair decided to check.

"Stay here with the SWAT Kat and I'll see if its safe now," he said. His partner nodded and went closer to Razor. On closer inspection he realized the SWAT Kat looked like he was in more trouble than just his leg. He looked up to see what is partner was doing.

The other enforcer had reached the doors and was peering around the corner cautiously. He gave a sigh of relief as well as grimacing in anger and sorrow at the carnage all around.

The scene within the room was the stuff of nightmares. Blood and other stuff was dripping from the walls, furniture and floor. Decapitated bodies were laying everywhere but in one corner there were three enforcers, a SWAT Kat and a downed enforcer they were all hovering over.

Concerned, he hurried over to the huddled group. On the floor was a profusely bleeding Feral, whose face was partly covered by a thick pad of gauze the SWAT Kat was holding tightly over one side of it. The Commander wasn't moving at all even though his eyes were staring up at them with fear.

"We've gotta get help down here asap. One of you call for medics, CSI and Dr. Konway.....hurry!" T-Bone ordered tightly.

Making no argument, one of the officers pulled his radio out and made the call.

"Tell to them to run! Feral is having trouble breathing!" T-Bone interrupted with a shout of urgency.

The officer barked at whoever was on the other end and told them to hurry. Out in the corridor the other enforcer was getting scared. It appeared the SWAT Kat was having difficulties breathing. Getting up he went to the door and saw the group in the corner. Without moving from the hall he shouted at them.

"The SWAT Kat is having trouble breathing!"

T-Bone's head jerked up, fear on his face. "Here, someone hold this...." he ordered, wanting one of the enforcers to hold the gauze on Feral's face. When one did, he hurried off to check on his partner.

He was horrified to find Razor laying on the floor, his leg had been wrapped in a makeshift bandage by the enforcer guarding him but he was obviously struggling to breath.

"Razor!" He cried in fear, dropping to his knees and trying to help his friend.

T-Bone felt his heart constrict as he stared down at his partner, feeling totally helpless. No one knew what would happen to someone who hadn't died after an attack since it hadn't happened before now. What would the virus do to them?

Suddenly the elevator doors snapped open and a crowd of people poured out. Some stopped near T-Bone to deal with Razor and others went on to check Feral. Konway was one of those in the first group of responders.

Seeing that Feral and a SWAT Kat had been bitten made him extremely worried. Oxygen was applied hurriedly to the two sick Kats and he gave orders that they would be taken to the containment chamber in the BioTech Labs rather than the hospital due to their dangerous condition. There was just too great a risk of the infection spreading to allow them near other patients.

When the patients had been removed, Konway directed the CSI to be extremely careful when taking samples of the corpses and told the cleanup crew from the morgue to use protective suits when cleaning up the blood and bodies. He ordered the bodies to be put in tightly sealed plastic bags and stored in one of the smaller morgue rooms with the door locked, a note of warning posted.. He refused to take any chances with this unknown condition Viper had caused.

He left the crews to their work and hurried to return to his lab. No one had been able to tell him if Razor had gotten the sample they so badly needed.

Visiting the containment room, he saw the pair being worked on by a team of doctors. It was obvious the small medical staff at enforcer headquarters had summoned assistance from the hospital by the number of doctors and nurses in the room.

He called out to the group taking care of Razor.

"Have any of you found a container holding a needle full of blood?" He demanded urgently.

A nurse looked over at him distractedly. "Is this it?" She asked holding up the container.

"Yes! Thank god he was able to get it. This is what they went after. We hope it will save the ones afflicted," Konway said in relief as he took it from her.

Razor's lead physician turned when he heard Konway speaking to the nurse. "I've never seen anything like these symptoms. His heart rate is racing, he can't breathe as fluid fills his lungs, and nothing I've tried is having any effect on the progress of whatever it is," he said in frustration.

"I know. It's a tailored virus made by Dr. Viper. It's the cause of the vampire creatures showing up in the city population. Biting then dying apparently causes the ones attacked to change and become blood suckers like the ones that attacked them. It's a vicious cycle. This blood I'm hoping will provide me the answers I need to find a cure," Konway said grimly.

"Kat's Alive! That's horrible. So you think these two might change into blood suckers?" The doctor asked nervously.

"We don't know. None of the previous victims were ever left alive before. I just don't know what will happen to ones who survived. All I can say is do what you can for them. I must get going and work on this," he said urgently as he began to move away.

The doctor shook his head as Konway hurried away. "That's going to be easier said than done." With nothing else he could do, he ordered more palliative care.

Konway nearly ran to his lab. He was terrified what would happen to the two Kats when the virus worked its way through their bodies. He wasn't certain if it would do what it did to the dead bodies or some other reaction would occur. He shuddered at what the two were facing over the next twelve hours.

He hurried to his personal lab and bellowed orders to his assistance to help him process the sample. He hoped he had an answer before the two injured Kats suffered too much.


	5. Chapter 5

**VAMPIRE STALKER**

Chapter 5: Half Vamps

Dr. Konway's eyes were red-rimmed and exhaustion made his body ache fiercely, but he ignored it all. Two rapidly dying Kats in the containment area needed what he had managed to synthesize after nearly eight straight hours of solid work with the help of his whole lab.

With the precious solution in his paw, he hurried to the special room that held the SWAT Kat, Razor, and Chief Enforcer.

In the room, unwilling to leave despite the danger, was T-Bone. He had kept an anxious bedside vigil over his partner just as Felina did over her uncle. They were worried sick that the pair would become one of those vampire creatures. It was something they both dreaded since trying to contain the pair would be difficult if not impossible and killing them simply was not an option.

The doctors had left, unable to do more for the pair of very sick Kats but palliative care. Razor and Feral had to be intubated to keep their air ways going but it was a losing battle against the virus raging through their bodies. They were paralyzed but their eyes told how they truly felt......terrified and in agony.

The hours had passed with agonizing slowness, neither of the watchers spoke, unable to voice their fears aloud. Suddenly the heavy pressurized door to the room swished open with a whoosh of displaced air.

A worn out but excited Dr. Konway hurried in holding a vial in his paw.

"Konway! What is it? You find a cure?" T-Bone asked, hope lacing his voice as he jumped from his seat.

"No. But we did manage to develop something we hope will hold off the change until we can. This is the only chance they've got and there's no time to test it," Konway said, trying to be reassuring as he went to a nearby cabinet and retrieved a pair of needles.

"So you don't know if it will make things worse?" Felina asked, her voice squeezed tight with fear.

Konway paused at Feral's side and gave her a tired look mixed with sorrow. "No, I don't, but anything would be better than becoming a vampire, don't you think?" He asked, not really expecting an answer to that.

"He's right, Felina. Something has to be done quickly and if this has a hope of partly saving them, then we don't have a right to prevent the doc from giving it to them," T-Bone's gruff voice said what they both were thinking.

She wrapped her arms around herself and nodded. What could she say to that?

Konway had been prepping the needles while they talked and was now ready to inject Feral. Having been given permission to treat the pair, he shot the needle into the big Kat's still pulsing vein in the neck.

Turning quickly, he did the same to Razor. "Now all we can do is wait and see what happens and pray for the best," he said heavily, dropping into another chair to rest and watch the two patients.

T-Bone and Felina returned to their seats to renew their silent vigil.

When that female had bitten into his cheek, Feral had never experienced such excruciating pain. The bite itself hurt but it was what was in her saliva that had felt like acid had been poured into the wound. But then his whole body went numb and that had been much more frightening. As he lay on the medical bed, he felt his internal organs seeming to heave and twist but he was helpless and unable to cry out. It felt like his whole body was being turned inside out.

More than once over the long hours of choking for air through a paralyzed throat, the body changes, and mind numbing terror over what was happening to him, he wished he was unconscious or dead. He heard Konway come in and tell Felina and T-Bone that he had something that might help. Personally, Feral didn't know if that was a good thing or not at this point but since he couldn't voice his objection, he was soon going to find out.

Razor had also been experiencing the same things as the Chief Enforcer. His leg felt as if it had been bathed in napalm then when his whole body went numb, he struggled mentally against the changes he could feel in his body and the terror-filled need to breathe. It was a losing battle but he couldn't stop fighting. He barely heard Konway's offer of a possible partial fix, his mind too wrapped up in its battle for survival.

Nothing seemed to happen for some ten minutes. Then the room erupted in screams and thrashing bodies, as first, Feral then Razor flailed in agony, nearly breaking their restraints. Their companions did their best to offer comfort and to keep them from escaping their bonds.

The alarms on the breathing machines were going wild adding to the clamor that seemed to go on for far too long but was only some twenty minutes before the two bodies went limp and two throats gagged in desperation against the breathing tubes.

Konway quickly removed, first Razor's then Feral's tubes leaving the pair to gasp and heave for air for several minutes. While they were recovering, Konway placed nasal cannulas in their noses to give them more oxygen then he signaled for medical assistance to the room.

Some two minutes later two doctors and four nurses quickly entered wearing full protective gear. They each took a patient and did an exam. Konway explained what he'd given the pair and what he hoped would occur from it.

Razor's physician, Dr. Temons, shook his head. "Well, according to the initial exam, the SWAT Kat is breathing okay, the paralysis has disappeared but his fangs have grown longer and his eyes are sensitive to light. The wound on his leg has healed over as if it had been days rather than hours since his attack. We'll need to run a chem panel to know what kind of changes have occurred," he reported, his voice reflecting his confusion by what was going on with his patient.

"Commander Feral is in about the same condition, Dr. Konway. Do you want to run the results or do you want the lab at the hospital to do it?" Dr. Staker asked, as he stood beside Feral's bed.

"Both, actually. Take enough for my use as well as your own. I want independent eyes on this and get it done asap. Don't let the samples from your sight and take extreme care in their handling," Konway advised.

"Good idea. Don't want to create our own mutants due to carelessness," Dr. Temons agreed, taking a blood sample from Razor.

Moments later, two vials of deadly blood was being carried off by Dr. Staker to their lab for analysis and two vials were given to Dr. Konway. Dr. Temons stayed with the patients to continue to monitor their progress.

Feral and Razor seemed more aware and in less pain though both felt odd.

"Razor! How's it going with you buddy?" T-Bone asked his friend, anxiously.

"I.....feel so strange.....and hungry...." Razor rasped, his throat still very sore.

"Uncle?" Felina asked Feral, worry and concern in her voice as she leaned over the big tom so that he could see her better.

The lights over both toms had been dimmed so they wouldn't be in pain from the brightness. Felina could see the overlong fangs Dr. Temons had mentioned. It made her uncle's mouth look odd. His eyes looked strange as well......the gold having red rims around them now.

Feral began to cough when he tried to speak. Felina offered him some water which he quickly downed and just as abruptly spit back out, hissing angrily. His eyes seemed to glow with madness for a moment before he managed to find some kind of control, his face grimacing with distaste.

"That tastes nasty..... I'm still thirsty but not for that....." He complained hoarsely.

"It was only water, Uncle," Felina said in shocked distress. "Oh God, T-Bone! You don't think.......?" Her voice trailed off in horror looking over at him.

T-Bone blinked and shook his head. His mind didn't want to think that his partner and Feral now craved blood and couldn't eat or drink anything else.

Not happy either, but needing to have an answer, Dr Temons whispered to one of the nurses who left the room quickly. He turned to the others in the room.

"I'm almost afraid the partial cure, Dr. Konway was able to make may only have allowed you two to breathe and retain your minds but left you with most of the weaknesses of the poor altered Kats," he said grimly.

Feral and Razor choked in anger and fear. That meant they might be half vampires/half Kats.

Just the thought of that made Feral sick inside. The hunger he was feeling was increasing as time went on. It wasn't something you could ignore like missing a meal. He'd done that often enough. No.....this was far more intense and impossible to ignore. Is this what those poor Kats turned to vamps felt? If it was, it was no wonder they went totally crazy. He shuddered, if not for the....whatever it was Konway had given them.....he and Razor would be the same way.

"It's horrible! I can't turn it off or ignore it and its getting harder to push back the need!" Feral moaned tautly.

"I know! It's like a fire eating the insides of my stomach out!" Razor agreed, thickly. His mind horrified by the realization he was hungry for blood.

"What is?" T-Bone asked, confused by what the two were talking about.

"Hunger!!" Feral hissed tightly, struggling against his bonds suddenly, wanting to get to the blood he could smell around him.

T-Bone and Felina as well as the medical staff stepped back from the beds hurriedly. The look in the afflicted toms eyes was chilling. They seemed to be staring at the healthy Kats as if they were a meal they wanted to devour whole. Everyone was uneasy. Suddenly the sealed door whooshed open and the nurse who had left on an errand, returned with bags of plasma in her paw.

At the sight of it, both Feral and Razor went nearly mad and tried to jerk their bodies forward to get at her burden. Their growls and snarls filling the room. Nervously, the doctor and nurses hurriedly took two bags a piece and brought them closer to the two patients.

The ravenous pair was salivating violently. The medical crew was too afraid to approach them any closer so Felina and T-Bone took the bags and pull their stoppers out so that the pair could drink them down rather than have it pushed through a vein.

Razor snatched the first bag T-Bone carefully held out to him and sucked it hungrily down. Feral did the same with Felina's offering. It took them only seconds to finish and be looking for more. When they'd finished the second bag they seemed more calm.

"Are you okay now?" T-Bone asked carefully, tossing the two empty bags in the trash.

"A little. It doesn't hurt as much.....sort of a dull roar," Razor said.

"Uncle?"

"I could certainly use more but it's a little easier to control the need for the moment," Feral admitted unhappily. The thought he had just drank two bags of blood and was still hungry for more made him ill.

"Well now that your hunger pains are fed....somewhat....how do you both feel?" Dr. Temons asked, warily.

Frowning, Feral looked inward. He felt hungry, anxious, the lights hurt his eyes, and he felt a strong need to hunt for more blood starting with the warm bodies in the room. He forcibly squashed that desire, not wanting to frighten those with him.

Razor was doing the same as Feral. He noted he felt stronger, more powerful but also very hungry with an intense desire to attack every warm blooded thing in sight. That was a terrifying thought, he forced away the best he could. He glanced over at Feral and saw the same look in his eyes......they had to get out of here or they would harm their own friends and fellow Kats.

"I'm alright, sort of. I hunger for blood and feel a strong need to hunt," Feral admitted cautiously.

"Me too. We're not safe around normal Kats right now but our condition could help us solve the vampire virus problem," Razor said grimly.

"Well, Dr. Konway is already testing your blood and working on a cure. What else are you thinking of?" T-Bone asked.

Glancing over at Feral again, Razor said, "He and I could hunt for Viper and force him to give us the antidote. No way would that snake puss make something this dangerous without making an antidote for it."

"What? Are you crazy! How do you expect to get close enough to him?" T-Bone blurted angrily.

"We are already infected. I'm willing to bet the other vampires won't bother us and our new abilities will allow us to overcome his plant minions," Razor explained.

Feral had to admit, the SWAT Kats idea was a sound one. "I think that's a good idea. We are running out of time before more vamps are made and our streets run with blood. Who better to do this than us?"

"I don't like it! You're betting the vamps won't touch you but you can't be certain of that?" T-Bone growled.

"We'll soon find out," Razor said firmly.

"Razor........."

Feral cut T-Bone off. "No, SWAT Kat. There is no more time for arguing. We must stop this quickly. You two can act as our liaison with the enforcers, keep the larger of Viper's plants away from us then take Viper when we're through questioning him."

Normally, T-Bone would tell Feral to shove his orders and do what he wanted to, but he could see Razor agreed with the Commander on this and wouldn't be budged to change his mind. Sighing in defeat, he nodded.

"Fine! We'll do it your way but I don't like it!"

"Neither do I!" Felina said, fuming but not offering any further resistance.

"Actually, I doubt Razor likes this plan any better than I do but there's really no other choice. Neither of us knows if Konway's drug will hold or if we will remain permanently this way. We have to find the antidote soon! I have no desire to live like this the rest of my life," Feral said plainly.

"Crud! Yeah, I can certainly see your point on that," T-Bone said flatly. "Well, it's nearly evening. I guess we should get you some more blood to drink then prepare to go out hunting.....right Razor?"

"You got it buddy! If someone would let us up now......" Razor asked, pushing up on the straps holding him down.

"Oh right! Sorry!" T-Bone said contritely as he moved forward to begin removing the straps and Felina did the same for her uncle.


	6. Chapter 6

**VAMPIRE STALKER**

Chapter 6: The Hunt Begins

'Perhaps being released from our restraints wasn't such a great idea,' Razor thought uneasily as he nearly leaned closer to his partner, fangs at the ready before jerking back in horror at what he nearly tried to do. The smell of warm blood was maddening and he was glad T-Bone moved away as quick as he did.

It took clamping his mouth shut for Feral to not tear into Felina's neck as she came close enough to undo his own restraints. When she got to the last restraint on his right wrist, he turned his head away violently.

"Move away, Felina!" He hissed warningly.

Felina jerked reflexively at the hissed urgency in her uncle's voice but kept at her task of freeing him, though she kept her head away from his while she did it. She didn't miss the barest edge of control and urgent need in her uncle's voice. She stepped away to the wall as soon as his wrist came free of the cuff.

Feral kept his head turned away as he rubbed his sore wrists and sat up. It drove him crazy to be acting this way. He needed to get out of here but there was too much to be done and it wasn't dark yet outside. The hunger was trying to push at him to attack once more and it was taking all his self control to stay on the bed.

After being released, Razor also had trouble controlling himself. 'God, I can't believe how intense this hunger is!' Sitting up, he kept his body huddled on the bed, not daring to leave it.

While T-Bone and Felina were releasing the pair, Dr. Temons had the nurse who brought the first batch of blood, quickly get more. She was just returning when the pair sat up.

The smell of fresh blood, dragged Razor's attention immediately to the nurse carrying it. An overwhelming desire to have it made him nearly lunge from the bed. He caught himself in time but was surprised to see he was crouched on the bed rather than sitting on it. T-Bone shoved a bag in his face and snatched his paw away when Razor ravenously grabbed it and began drinking it down. Some dribbled down his face in a bloody trail.

Feral had been staring at a point on the bed but jerked his head up at the heady scent of fresh blood. Before he could control himself, he was nearly half off the bed. His paws grabbed the end of the rails desperately to halt his forward lunge. Felina quickly waved a bag before his face and he nearly snatched at her wrist before sinking fangs into the bag and making a mess of himself in the process. He finished the bag then licked it off himself hungrily.

The sight made Felina ill and she was forced to turn her face away. T-Bone was sick at what his buddy had been reduced to. In his mind, he swore Viper would die painfully for what he'd done. But he suspected it would be his partner that would have that honor. No way would Viper survive the night.

As quick as Razor and Feral finished a bag, T-Bone and Felina would hand them another until they had finished the three bags a piece the nurse had brought.

A sigh of relief escaped Razor as he finished the last bag and tossed it into the trash. "Okay, now I can think more clearly, the hunger is still there but far more manageable," he said aloud, relief laced with grimness in his voice. He leaped over the railing of his bed and stood up, appearing healthy and strong. That totally belied what his blood coated and ripped clothes told was the true story.

Feral scooted to the end of the bed and slid off in a more sedate fashion. He was naked from the waist up and it was blood soaked from when he broke the first bag. He looked as strong as he always had. There was no sign he'd even been attack since his cheek was completely healed. But staring into his red-rimmed gold eyes and seeing the fangs peeking through his mouth, one knew he wasn't normal any longer.

"Felina! I need clean clothes, however, not a uniform. Get me one of my old flight suits. It will be easier to move in and dark enough for me not to be seen by Viper in the swamp," he told her.

"Right away, Uncle. Return as fast as I can," Felina responded, turning and leaving quickly on her errand.

"Could you do me the same favor, buddy. I don't want to attract undo attention with blood on my clothes. Other vampires might find us tasty because we are still half Kats so let's not give them any ideas," Razor said, staring ruefully down at his ruined flight suit.

T-Bone had to agree, Razor made a ghoulish sight. "Yeah, wouldn't want you to become a snack for one of them again, once was enough. I'll be right back." The tabby turned and left behind Felina.

"If not being blood covered is your objective, I think you two need a shower. Follow me and I'll take you to the nearest one so you can wash up while waiting for your clothes," Dr. Temons said, leading the way from the room.

Feral glanced at Razor and the two traded guarded looks as they followed the doctor out. They remained very close together, not for companionship, but for ensuring neither lost control. The way they were feeling, no way did they want to risk one or both of them attacking the warm bodies around them. Staying close insured they could keep one another in check.

To Feral it felt really strange to have these insistent thoughts of wanting to attack the warm bodies passing by them. Thankfully those in this area were well aware of the situation and kept a large distance between them and the altered toms wearing blood and with eyes that made them shudder when they glanced into them.

Very quickly they were escorted to a bathroom with a single shower. They were ushered in, given soap and towels then the door was firmly shut behind them.

Sighing in relief, Feral went to the shower and turned it on. Razor was stripping his clothes off behind him.

"Be glad to get this blood off," Razor muttered. Feral just grunted. "Look, we need to talk before our friends return," he continued.

Feral gave him an understanding look. "I agree. We need a plan."

"Roger that!"

As they washed up hurriedly, the pair discussed what they needed to accomplish. They had a firm plan laid out by the time they finished their showers and their clothes arrived. Dressing quickly, they stepped out and the group headed for a small conference room.

Feral used the phone to summon his squadron officers, second in command and Ms. Briggs. T-Bone and Felina blinked at that in confusion but Feral refused to explain until all parties had arrived.

The officers arrived first and stared uneasily at their commander as they were told to have a seat and wait. Not more than fifteen minutes later, Ms. Briggs arrived. Since the emergency, she had not left her office as she tried to keep the Katizenry calm with news spots. Not daring to risk her safety, Feral had her picked up by chopper.

"How is the city handling this, Ms. Briggs?" Feral asked her as he began the meeting.

"Nervous, frightened and threatening the Mayor with bodily harm if he doesn't do something about it," Callie said, in grim humor.

"That's certainly understandable and if what Razor and I plan is successful, tomorrow you'll be able to tell the city the danger is over," Feral told her.

"That's the kind of news I'd be glad to give out."

"To accomplish that, Razor and I came up with this plan, so listen up! First, Kitsner, I want you to clear out two weapons vaults immediately. This is where we're going to put the newly killed bodies and any vampires we find," he ordered his second in command.

"Second, I need you, Ms. Briggs, to turn on the Emergency Broadcast System and tell all Katizens that martial law is being instituted. As of immediately, all Katizens will confine themselves to their homes or places of business until dawn. All windows and doors must be sealed and barricaded. If you have a basement, go into it and don't come out until morning. No businesses will be open! That includes, hospitals, fire departments, police, and public works. We have to hope there will be no fires during this period because I don't want our fireKats at the mercy of these creatures. As for medical emergencies, all calls will be directed to my enforcer comm center. Chopper crews with medical personal will fly where they're needed but no one is to be on the ground where they can be attacked. No one will be on in the open, unprotected for any reason," he said firmly.

"What about criminal activity?" Ms. Briggs asked in concern.

"Frankly, Ms. Briggs, if criminals and their targets are stupid enough to be out after they'd been warned, they deserve what they get. But, despite my feelings on that, I do have a plan to handle it, just wait and I'll explain."

She nodded and settled back to listen further.

"Third, we need to contact all morgues and have any bodies that were vampire kills transported to our metal storage rooms asap before darkness falls.

Fourth, my chopper patrols will be on the look out for any normal Katizen walking around outside. Once spotted the offender will be picked up and taken to Enforcer Headquarters for their safety until dawn.

Fifth, my jet fighters and choppers will also be on watch for any vampires. For their capture, only T-Bone will handle it with Felina as weapon's officer. He has the weapons we hope will confine them. He will haul them here. Officers, who have volunteered, will be dressed in battle armor and will take the vampires, without removing them from their restraints, to the holding area.

That's the plan and it's the only one we've got with any hope of success. If all works out, this will be ended before dawn. You have your orders, execute them as fast as possible. We have only two hours until full dusk. Move!" Feral barked.

His officers snapped to attention and left quickly to begin their tasks. Ms. Briggs took off for her ride to the local TV station to set in motion Feral's orders. She prayed his and Razor's plans were successful.

"I hope this works, guys. We're not at all certain if our weapons will hold against the ones that are already vampires. I don't want to see anymore people killed and altered," T-Bone said grimly.

"Neither do I. It will make Razor and I's work much easier if we don't have to worry about normal Kats. As for the vampires, how do we contain any we find, Razor? They are super strong and dead.....uh, more or less. Not much we have can affect them," Feral asked, frowning in concern.

"I have just the thing, I hope. T-Bone go get a back up glovatrix for Feral to use plus refills for my spider chain, octopus and slicer missiles... oh, and bring an extra spot flash as well....hurry buddy!" Razor ordered his partner.

"Sure thing!" T-Bone said, leaving the room at a run, heading for the Turbokat parked on the flight line a floor up.

Feral eyed Razor questioningly.

Razor answered that look. "They are the best I have and hopefully they will be strong enough. The flash is bright enough to blind them. Make sure you have your heavy duty visor to protect your own eyes"

"Good idea and I hope you're right about your missiles! Now, what about if we have no choice but to kill them?"

The smaller SWAT Kat grimaced unhappily, "That's where the slicer missile comes in. Cutting their heads off would be the fastest and most humane method."

Feral nodded, his own expression grim and unhappy but determined. 'All the more reason to take that slimy omega out,' he thought coldly. In this case, he would prefer dead rather than alive and damn the consequences. This mutant had come far too close to killing everyone in the most horrible fashion ever. He didn't deserve to live and Feral was tired of him escaping jail over and over again. It would end tonight and he had a strong feeling the SWAT Kat felt the same way.

Things moved rapidly after that. Darkness was falling when the last body known to have been killed by a vampire was tucked away in the vault and shut in. Guards were put on the door.

Callie's message through the airways, produced a ghost town. When Razor and Feral went down to Razor's cyclotron there was an eerie silence over the once busy city. The air was filled with the sounds of choppers and jets as they began their gruesome patrols.

Feral and Razor rode in the belly of the Turbokat while T-Bone and Felina were in the cockpit. The pilot lifted off the flight deck and soared toward the swamp. Within a couple of miles of it, the double cyclotron was launched.

As soon as it touched the ground, Razor raced off. He and Feral figured the swamp would be the best place to start searching for Viper. If he wasn't here, they weren't looking forward to trying to find him in the sewer system of the city. That could take days they didn't have.

Above them, the Turbokat returned to the city and began their patrol. He had the enforcer band on so they would hear any calls for them immediately.

It was more than fifteen minutes before the first one came in.

"That's in the shopping district, T-Bone," Felina reported.

"Gotcha! Heading there on all engines," T-Bone acknowledged grimly. He directed the jet to the location and saw a pair of choppers circling over a vampire in the midst of a kill.

Grimacing in disgust and anger, T-Bone brought the jet down close. The vampire was too intent on its meal to care. The drive to feed too strong for self preservation.

Felina fired a spider chain missile which quickly enveloped the creature and its victim. She quickly winched it up. The creature screamed and struggled. At first it seemed it would escape but to their relief, the netting held.

T-Bone quickly flew his gruesome cargo back to Enforcer Headquarters.

"This is Lt. Feral, bringing in one vampire and its victim. Be prepared to accept delivery," she called over her radio.

As soon as they arrived, six armored enforcers were standing by. Carefully, T-Bone swung the netting over the flight line and waited until the enforcers were ready before releasing the line. They continued to wait to see if the troops could transport the thing safely into custody.

Taking netting and all, the troops lifted the screaming creature and its victim onto a rolling cart. Keeping the netting tightly closed, two enforcers pushed the cart, while the other four kept hold of the netting.

Felina and T-Bone could see that it was an effort for the enforcers to keep the netting tight but they managed and the group quickly made for the inside.

Still T-Bone was loathed to leave. He needed to be sure their prisoners could be managed and locked up safely. It seemed to take forever but some ten minutes later, Felina got the report that the prisoner and the victim were secured.....no casualties. With a heartfelt sigh of relief, the pair headed back out on patrol.


	7. Chapter 7

**VAMPIRE STALKER**

Chapter 7: Swamp Hunting

While T-Bone and Felina were handling their first vampire of the evening, Razor and Feral arrived at their destination. Parking his cyclotron on somewhat solid ground, Razor set the security system and armed with their daylight flashes, the two began to slink quietly to where it was suspected Viper had his hidden lab.

Feral was surprised at how well he could see out here. There was no moon and the city lights were far behind them so it was very dark here except for the glowing phosphorescent algae floating on the scummy water. The stench was stronger than he remembered too. Must mean his sense of smell was better as well......that really wasn't a good thing.

Razor's ears were twitching and turning, trying to catch any sound that warned of danger. He too noted that his vision was far better than it had a right to be as was his hearing and sense of smell.

He tried not to inhale too deeply of the scent of rotten vegetation and other things as he tramped through the high weeds and over the soggy ground.

They'd walked for some twenty minutes without locating any sign of Viper or his creatures and, disturbingly, hunger was starting to stalk them once more making them very irritable. Razor had moved into Feral's path at one point and received a hiss and snarl for his trouble. The smaller SWAT Kat returned the hiss but moved away, giving them both space from each other.

Suddenly a loud 'plopping' noise startled them, causing both to freeze and listen hard. Nothing moved and there was no further sound but the usual insect and night creatures so they decided it was safe and continued probing the thick undergrowth along the banks of the swamp.

Feral was some ways from Razor when something huge, wet, and very smelly reared up from the water and snatched him. The big tom roared with fury before he was dragged under the water.

Razor raced to the spot but could see nothing but the brief disturbance which began to subside so that he couldn't tell where the creature was with Feral. Hissing with anger, he paced the water's edge anxiously, shining his flash over the water to try and see into the murky depths, without success.

Beneath the water, Feral could see nothing as he struggled with the creature. He felt teeth bite down on his leg and he had to keep from screaming or he'd swallow the water and maybe drown. He wasn't certain of that since he was only half alive. A blood fury overcame him, nearly drowning the pain, as he turned his head and tore into some part of the thing with his fangs.

He must have gotten something vital because it released him and disappeared. Now he was floating in the dark with no idea where up was. Before he had a chance to panic, a light pierced the water then moved away. Hurriedly he chased after it and found he was rising to the surface. Seconds later, he burst free of the water and dragged air frantically into his lungs.

Razor heard a loud splash and flashed his light to it quickly. He spotted Feral flailing and gasping for air. His flash hit the tom's eyes causing him to screech in pain.

"Shit! Sorry Feral!" He apologized, flicking the light away but using it to guide the dark tom back to shore. He leaned out to help the thoroughly soaked tom to climb the slippery bank to more solid ground.

Feral sputtered and coughed as he sat trying to recover. His leg burned like fire but it was getting less painful as time passed.

"Razor! (Cough) Shine that light on my leg!" (Cough)," he managed to choke out.

The flash shone on a jagged tear in the fabric and fur. Blood was leaking out slowly but as they watched it soon stopped then the tear in his skin began to seam together.

"Handy ability," Razor grunted. "Are you okay now?"

Feral slowly got to his feet and shook himself. "Yeah, seem to be. Did you see what it was?"

"Nope! Took you down way too fast for me to make it out before it vanished with you. How'd you get away?"

"Bite it!"

"Yuck, well at least the fangs are good for something," Razor snorted. "Unfortunately, all that racket may have given us away........" his voice trailed off as the two listened silently for some minutes.

"Appears not. Probably common here," Feral finally said.

"That's to our advantage actually. Let's try this direction and keep a better eye on the water from now on," Razor said grimly, turning away from the bank and heading toward a more tree filled area of the swamp.

Feral didn't object and willingly moved back from the water's edge. He was now wet and uncomfortable, raising his irritability factor even more as the hunger hadn't abated and was really nagging at him. Woe be to anyone that was stupid enough to be out here.......they wouldn't last a second with two hungry vampires on the hunt.

_**Back in the city.......**_

Felina and T-Bone had captured three more vampires and, unfortunately, each of their victims by this time.

"Crud! I wish we could find the things **before** they kill someone but they are practically invisible," T-Bone growled in frustration.

"I know!" Felina bit out, just as frustrated as her flying partner. "It doesn't help that there are so many fools not willing to listen to the 'stay inside' ban, providing the vamps fresh food."

"I'm with your uncle when he said they get what they deserved. The threat is real and yet they still throw their lives away for nothing more than greed or needing a pack of cigarets. They're right when they say cigarets kill," the tabby said in grim humor.

Felina just groaned at the misplaced humor of the pilot then she spotted something below them.

"T-Bone, go back! There seems to be a rather large group of idiots in front of a club. Couldn't tell if it was a fight or what was going on."

"Well, let's just see......" T-Bone grunted, turning the jet around and going to VTOL over the spot she had indicated. Bringing the jet lower, the pair could plainly see it was a fight going on. Snorting in disgust at such stupidity, the pilot lowered the jet to the street.

Opening the canopy, he and Felina kept a wary eye out for vamps that would be drawn to the commotion as they approached the group.

Both males and females surrounded the pair of battling males. Rather than wade in, T-Bone fired a flash bulb missile into the air after warning Felina to protect her eyes. The crowd screamed in shock, blinded and falling all over each other.

"Shut Up!" Felina bellowed.

The crowd went silent though there were still some cursing and crying going on as well as the grunting sounds of the two males still whaling the tar out of each other. T-Bone stepped forward and yanked both combatants away from each other then shouted in their faces.

"Are you two crazy? There are vampires wandering around and here you fools are, out in the open, providing them a ready-made feast." He shook both and dropped them on the ground.

"Now get your asses back inside before the Lieutenant here has you all arrested and taken to Enforcer Headquarters," he roared at them.

"Not your homes, you ninnies!" Felina shouted when she saw some of them heading off into the dark. "Get inside that club and stay there until dawn. The manager can't evict you but he can refuse to serve you anything more tonight. Now get your butts inside......move!"

Suitably cowed the club goers and the combatants headed for the door of the building. T-Bone and Felina watched them to insure all were indoors and safe.

Unfortunately, the commotion had attracted the hunters. As the last of the crowd began to disappear into the club, several dark shapes dashed from a nearby alley and snatched a few of the lagers. Screams filled the air causing a panic with the crowd at the door. The ones in back shoved the ones in front violently, trying desperately to escape the certain death at their rear. Within moments, the rest of the Kats vanished inside and the door slammed shut.

Meanwhile, outside, T-Bone and Felina were using their glovatrixes to fire spider chain missiles at the attackers. They knew it was impossible to separate the killers from their victims once they'd latched on. The vamps ability to kill swiftly meant no victim was spared to make it to a hospital anyway so they didn't even try.

There were six vampires and it was a race for the pair to take them out before they became the next candidate for those deadly fangs.

Nearly all were caught in the first volley but not two of them. They had been faster with their kills and were looking for more victims. Spotting T-Bone and Felina, they split up and advanced on the preoccupied pair.

"Look out T-Bone!" Felina shouted as she spotted one rushing up behind the tom. She fired a tarpedo missile because she was out of spider chains. She immediately followed it with a flash bulb missile which made the ones tied up on the ground and another one that had nearly gotten her, to scream in pain.

T-Bone saw the one near Felina and shot his last spider chain missile at it.

As the flash bulb faded, the pair hurriedly ran back to the jet before more could appear and leaped aboard. Once airborne, T-Bone fired another spider chain at the tarred faced vamp before going about collecting all the wrapped up vamps. Using the sky claw, he carefully picked them up without losing any. Their load now secured, T-Bone flew them to Enforcer Headquarters.

"Lt. Feral to tower! Arriving with six vamps and five victims in five minutes."

"Roger, Lieutenant!"

_**Back out in the swamp............**_

They'd been searching the swamp for more than two hours now and were getting very frustrated and becoming more vicious as time went on.

"Stay away from me!" Feral hissed hungrily as Razor slipped to close again to him as they navigated through a clot of trees with hanging vines on them that made getting by that much more difficult.

Razor snarled back, flashing fangs. "I'm just as hungry as you are so shut up!"

Feral nearly charged the tom but forced himself under control. They needed to find Viper soon or they would be reduced to killing each other. Turning away from the SWAT Kat, he pushed through a thick patch of vegetation and was surprised to come upon a clearing. He halted before pushing through completely to stare around cautiously. His caution paid off as he spotted one of Viper's mushroom soldiers standing near a huge, thick tree that didn't quite look natural.

He stepped back quickly and grabbed Razor's arm, putting a finger to his lips. The small tom nearly snapped at him but halted instantly when he saw the look of urgency on Feral's face.

Feral leaned close and whispered, "I think we hit paydirt! There's one of Viper's mushroom things standing before a tree which doesn't look like a tree. Go through there and see!" He advised, releasing the tom.

Razor nodded then slipped through the hole Feral had made and peered out when he reached the edge of the clearing. He stayed back far enough to still be hidden by the near wall of vegetation. He studied the tree closely before backing away and returning to the big tom.

"You're right! It looks fake. So how do you want to play this?" Razor asked tensely.

"Come in from either side and take out the monster," Feral said simply.

Razor nodded and made off to the left while Feral went right. They met up on either side of the odd tree and leaped out at the same time. Claws and fangs tore the mushroom thing to ribbons before it could even screech.

"Yuck! That tasted nasty!" Razor hissed softly, spitting out what he'd taken into his mouth.

Feral agreed as he too spit out his gross mouthful.

Razor went up to the tree and studied it very closely. He went around it once before returning to the front and lifting his glovatrix. Using a small light he finally located what he was searching for then used a small device to push into the locking mechanism he'd found. There was a soft click and a door silently opened. It had been cleverly hidden so no one could have discovered it.

The door opened to a set of stairs made of stone leading down into the dark. A faint light could be seen at the bottom. They headed down, allowing the door to close silently behind them. At the bottom, they came upon a lab.

The buried room had been carved out of rock and was some twenty by fifty in size. A long rectangle. The end of the room had doors on one side which were closed at the moment. The lab itself held long tables filled with beakers, microscopes, burners with stuff bubbling in beakers on them, dozens of petri dishes, a wall of cabinets, a fridge, cages, computer, and other lab equipment that one would find in a modern lab.

Viper was no where to be seen. Creatures in the cages hooted, howled and screeched at them as they passed. Feral's first instinct was to trash the whole lab but they needed to find the antidote first. They'd just reached one of the doors when one of them opened and Viper walked out, attention on something he was holding in his paws. He looked up and squawked in shock at the sight of the two.

"You! What are you doing in my lab?" He screeched angrily, turning to swat Razor with his tail, sending the SWAT Kat against the nearby wall. But he couldn't turn fast enough to prevent Feral from grabbing him.

Clutching the paper in his paw tightly, Viper used his other paw and feet to fight Feral, barely beating the tom back from him. He prepared to turn and disappear through the door that was still open but Razor was there first.

"You're not going anywhere snakepuss!" Razor hissed, displaying his fangs.

Viper's eyes widened in horror, backing away but ending up running into Feral's chest. The huge tom wrapped his arms around the lizard and leaned his head forward, displaying his own fangs.

The mutant Kat shuddered in shocked dismayed as well as confusion. "How could you be ssstill alive?"

"Just lucky I guess," Feral growled, using all his self control to not take a bite from Viper's neck. The sound and smell of blood running beneath the mutant Kat's skin were driving him crazy.

"Where's the antidote for this? We know you would have made some if only to protect your slimy butt." Razor demanded, pushing his face even closer to Viper's.

Viper's eyes were huge with fear, he continued to clutch the paper tightly in his paw as he tried to weigh his options.......they were pretty bleak.


	8. Chapter 8

**VAMPIRE STALKER**

Chapter 8: Getting Back to Headquarters

Faced with certain death at the paws of his own creation, Viper did the only thing he could....surrender.

"Thissss isss the formula for the antidote. I haven't made a batch asss I had no need to," he hissed reluctantly.

Feral didn't release him, his grip tightening and his face moving closer.

Viper froze in terror at the look of hunger in the huge tom's eyes. Razor noted Feral's increased tension and divined the reason.

He put a careful paw on Feral's near arm. "Easy, Commander. We still need him alive a bit longer. If something's not right about the formula we're back where we started from except we'll be minus the one who made it," he warned.

Taking a hard pull on himself, Feral let go of Viper rather violently, shoving him hard enough to knock the mutant out against the nearest rock wall. The lizard Kat slid to the floor in a heap. Razor just shook his head and went to search the lab using the sheet of information Viper had been holding.

He wanted to see if he could find any of the ingredients that maybe only Viper had in his stock. They couldn't afford time wasted looking for this stuff back had headquarters. Realizing what he was doing, Feral gave him a paw while keeping an eye out for any more of Viper's creatures.

He did find more creatures that had suffered under Viper's cruel experiments. Furious, he quickly dispatched them. He caught himself licking the blood from his paws but couldn't stop despite his disgust.

Razor scented the blood and it took every ounce of will power not to attack Feral for his share. Just as disgusted with himself as Feral was, the SWAT Kat hurried his search, wanting out of here as fast as possible.

He soon had a box full of various potions and other items and was making for the door. Feral had picked up their prisoner and was carrying him out. They met nothing as they stepped out into the swamp once more.

Feral dropped Viper to the ground and turned to go back into the lab.

"Where are you going?" Razor asked in concern and anger, stepping near Viper to guard him.

"Destroy Viper's lab!"

"What if we didn't get what we needed?" Razor asked reasonably.

Feral paused only a moment before coming to a decision. "If something should happen to us and Viper's lab is left in one piece, this whole nightmare could be repeated. You want to take that chance?"

Razor thought about that a long moment before shaking his head. "No, you're right. Destroy it!"

Feral nodded grimly, went to the door of the lab and fired a match head missile into the bowels of Viper's underground home.

Feral quickly picked up Viper's body and they ran some distance away before there was a roar of flames that belched from the entrance of the fake tree and bubbling geysers from the swamp nearby.

Satisfied, they started back to the cyclotron but froze when loud, weird sounding, roars filled the air and Feral howled as burning pain on his back and arms made him drop Viper.

Razor set the precious box down near his feet and raised his glovatrix at the flying acid-spitting plantimals that were dive bombing them from the air.

Hissing in pain, Feral also raised his glovatrix and fired some match head missiles at the things. He managed to strike two of them, causing them to blow up as they were too slow to catch the missiles as they would have during the day. Razor thought it was because they might be too torpid from the cold of the evening which was to their advantage as they quickly decimated their attackers.

When it was silent once more, Razor went to check Feral over. There were holes in his flight suit but the burns were already healing. Feral still moved a bit stiffly because the wounds still hurt, but gritting his teeth, he again hefted Viper to his shoulder and they hurriedly made for the cyclotron.

They managed to reach the bike without further incident. Razor disengaged the security system, stored the box of precious materials within his storage area after removing Feral's helmet, then took hold of Viper so Feral could climb aboard then took the criminal across his lap rather awkwardly. Razor climbed aboard and started the engine.

The cyclotron roared out of the swamp and headed back into the city at nearly supersonic speed. They raced over Megakat Bridge and into the main thoroughfare that would lead them to Enforcer Headquarters.

The streets were eerily empty and silent, all vehicles were either parked properly along the road or just abandoned in the middle of the streets making traversing the area more hazardous. This caused Razor to reduce his speed to navigate through the ocean of vehicles safely.

They had just past city hall and the park when they were set upon by four vampires rushing out of an alleyway they were passing. Two of them were automatically thrown off because of the bike's speed but two managed to cling to the two riders.

Snarling in fury and hampered by Viper in his arms, Feral was forced to dislodge his unwanted passenger by sending his head backward sharply. His skull cracked against the vamp's who had tried to bite his neck but was having trouble clinging on. His scream was swallowed by the roar of the bike as it fell into the street behind them. Razor speeded up while slamming a fist into his own hitchhiker, sending it flying into a nearby building.

"This isn't good!" Feral growled into his mike.

"I wonder just how many vamps are out there?" Razor responded worriedly.

"It's only been three days since this all started....."

"Yes, but we don't know how many one vamp can alter before a night is through. Having everyone stay inside may have cut down the number of victims but there are still enough out there already......" Razor cut him off.

Feral could only grunt at that. Just as they reached, Enforcer Headquarters and Razor shut down the engine, the Commander spoke again.

"If Konway can come up with the antidote it will have to be you and I that hunt for the others and either cure or kill them," he said grimly.

"Yeah, I already guessed that. It's going to be a bloody night's hunt," Razor agreed as he climbed off and took off his helmet.

Feral could only nod as he handed Viper over to the SWAT Kat to hold while he climbed off and laid his helmet on the seat. Grabbing Viper again, the two walked up the stairs and into headquarters. Though it was very quiet outside, inside was busy as officers handled people picked up wandering the streets after curfew and booking criminals doing the same.

Feral handed off Viper to a group of officers and told them to take him to the special omega holding cell and keep a close watch on him then he and Razor went up to the BioTech Labs. Walking in, they didn't see Dr. Konway and had to ask his assistant where he was.

"He collapsed of exhaustion, sir. We took him to bed about four hours ago to get some rest. Don't worry, we've continued to work on a cure but are doing it in shifts so that no one misses something due to exhaustion," Dr. Resdon said earnestly, a little nervous in their presence.

Razor handed the box and formula to him. "We got this from Dr. Viper. I hope I found everything that was needed because the his lab is destroyed."

Dr. Resdon took the box reverently. "We'll get right on this, sir. Excuse me!" He hurried into the heart of the lab, yelling for his assistants to come running.

Sighing in relief, Razor turned to Feral and frowned. "We have a problem," he muttered softly, his eyes and nose following all the hot blood moving around them.

Feral huffed out a breath of hungry frustration, "I know! My guts are screaming at me. We'd better get out of here or find a supply of blood quickly before we become a problem."

"Better find blood," Razor hissed softly. "We can't hunt effectively without a cure. We'd just be slaughtering if we went out without it."

Feral grimaced but nodded. Decision made, the pair sought out the medical staff to get what they needed quickly.

It took twenty agonizing minutes to locate someone who knew where the blood bank was and then find the one who held the key to the locked room. The two of them were becoming rather stressed when the key holder was finally located.

"I'm sorry sir but I need authorization to release blood supplies," the nurse said flatly.

Barely controlling himself, Feral leaned close to the nurse and hissed coldly, "if the SWAT Kat and I do not get some blood in the next minute, we will begin dining on everyone around us starting with you!"

The nurses face went white at that threat, she hurriedly unlocked the door and stepped into the room. Reaching the blood plasma cold storage, she blindly pulled out bags and handed them over.

After seeing the two toms break the bags and slurp the red liquid down in seconds, she could barely retain her stomach contents. Turning her face away, she reached for more bags and began handing them behind her without looking.

By the time she had handed out eight bags, she was trembling with fear and disgust.

"Thank you. We're okay for now. I suggest you hand us two more bags apiece. Hopefully, that will hold us until we are able to go out and put an end to this nightmare," Feral requested quietly.

Silently, still not turning around, the nurse did as asked. She stood waiting then heard the pair leave the room. She slumped in relief, her body shaking in reaction as she slowly relocked the cabinet. She would have to get this storage unit refilled quickly in case the pair needed it again.

Their hunger sated for the moment and their extra bags of blood stored on their person, they went to the operations room to find out how things were going with T-Bone and Felina and to give them the news on Viper's capture.


	9. Chapter 9

**VAMPIRE STALKER**

Chapter 9: Making The Antidote

"I'm bushed," T-Bone said, stifling a yawn.

"Me too, but we did corral a lot of vamps tonight. Unfortunately, we have no idea just how many are still out there," Felina sighed, worriedly

Dawn was an hour away when the pair headed back to headquarters. The past two hours failed to uncover anymore vamps and the streets were finally empty. They just hoped not too many more vamps had been made this night but even with all the enforcers out searching, they just couldn't be everywhere in this large city.

The tired pair decided to pack it in for the night when dawn's light began to tinge the horizon. It raised their spirits when they received word that Feral and Razor had returned with Viper and the formula to make an antidote.

"Maybe we will finally see an end to this!" Felina said, brightly.

T-Bone grunted his agreement as he landed the Turbokat smoothly on the end of the flight line at Enforcer Headquarters.

They strode into Feral's office some ten minutes later to find Razor sitting on the couch with his feet up on the coffee table, resting, and the Commander at his desk finishing some reports.

He looked up as they came in, a frown on his face, his eyes squinting against the meager light coming from the rising sun. The pair had been sitting in the dark to spare their sensitive eyes. The coming dawn allowed T-Bone and Felina to see them more easily.

"Maybe you two should seek a dark room and rest until this evening. The light of day must be giving you hell about now," the tabby suggested, concern lacing his voice.

"We will as soon as we brief you on what's going on first," Feral said gruffly. "Dr. Konway's head assistant is working on making the antidote as we speak. We destroyed Viper's hideout so no more trouble can come from there. Razor and I came up with a plan for when the antidote is completed. We intend to track down all the vamps tonight and either, cure or kill them."

Felina hissed in dismay and T-Bone wasn't far behind her. Neither was happy the two were going hunting the vamps alone, because they knew that was what Feral meant.

"You could be killed!" Felina objected first.

Feral cocked a blood-rimmed eye at her. "Who else could do it, Felina? We certainly can't afford more vamps being created and that's what would happen if I sent any enforcers out with us. No.....only Razor and I can do this.....however...." he held up a paw to forestall any more objections, ".....that doesn't mean you and my enforcers won't be doing exactly what you did tonight," Feral told them both grimly.

"We need to get them all tonight! If even one is left out there, we will be fighting this war for a very long time," Razor growled. "However, I'm hoping Dr. Konway will eventually come up with a gaseous form of the cure so that we can saturate the city with it. But right now, we need whatever form of it they can make quickly. The alterations will have to wait until Konway recovers from exhaustion for anything more workable."

T-Bone looked over at Felina and saw the same resignation in her eyes as she could see in his face. He turned back to the pair.

"Okay, you've made your point. Guess we better get some rest then. Felina and I will ride herd on the scientists when we get up later. Where are you guys going to be?"

"I've a room of my own in the opposite tower. We'll sleep there," Feral grunted, getting up from his desk. The morning light was becoming far too painful to endure any longer.

"Then take a guard with you," T-Bone said flatly. "You can't have anyone breaking into your room or disturbing you. You should also have some blood with you so you don't chomp on your guard when you wake up hungry," he warned.

"We're ahead of you there. We've already eaten and have supplies on us but they won't be enough for us to keep our heads when we begin the hunt so it would be appreciated if you have more ready for us when we see you in the lab later tonight," Feral said, glancing over at his niece.

"Will do, Uncle. Go get some rest and we'll do the same. First, though, we'll tell the scientists where we'll be so they won't disturb you two," Felina said, briskly.

"Good idea. See you two later," Feral grunted as he hurriedly made for his office door with Razor on his heels, the rising sun chasing them from the room.

They vanished quickly leaving the other two behind.

"Okay, let's go to the lab, T-Bone, then I'll take to where you can get some sleep," Felina said, heading for the door herself.

"Can we grab something to eat before we crash? I'm hungry."

"Oh, yeah....probably should do that myself. We'll stop at the canteen and get something," Felina agreed, leading the way to the BioTech Labs.

Once they told Konway's head assistant where they would be and not to disturb the Commander, Felina took T-Bone to the canteen. Dinner was still being served as they grabbed a tray and went through the line. The tabby got plenty of mixed looks but no one harassed them knowing how much the SWAT Kat was doing to try and save the city. They found an empty table against the wall and quickly ate in silence.

Dumping their trash, they made their way to the skybridge that led to the other tower. Felina escorted him down a quiet hallway, halting at a room at the end.

"This is mine and I believe that one....." she pointed to one across from her, "....is empty. Let me take a look." She went to the door opposite hers, opened it and peered in. Nodding her head, she stepped back and gestured for him to go on in. "See you around three?" She asked.

"Yeah, sounds perfect, though, you'll probably have to wake me," T-Bone said, smiling a little as he stepped into the room.

"Sure, no problem. Sleep well," she said quietly then went into her room and shut the door.

T-Bone looked around his temporary quarters and sighed. It was clean, dark and quiet. He locked the door, put a chair in front of it and went to take a much needed shower, before putting his mask back on and crashing onto the bed with a moan of relief, falling asleep almost immediately.

Her alarm went off at three p.m. rousing her still sleeping form. She yawned, throwing her bedding off and heading for the shower. Dressed and ready to go fifteen minutes later, she went to T-Bone's door and knocked hard. Getting no response, she tried to open it and found it locked. Snorting in annoyance, she proceeded to bang on the door non-stop until the door suddenly was ripped open with her fist still in the air.

"I'm up already," the tabby growled.

"You said you would have to be awakened and you weren't kidding," Felina smirked in amusement. "Better get your tail in gear, it's three thirty already," she said without sympathy.

"Right, be out in ten," he grunted, closing the door.

Ten minutes later, he reappeared, refreshed and more awake.

"We'd better get some food. It will probably be our only chance to eat for hours," Felina warned.

"Good idea."

An hour later they walked into the lab wanting to see what progress had been made. Their eyes were greeted by the sight of a fully staffed laboratory working diligently at every work space. No one looked up as they walked among them looking for Dr. Konway. They found him in a far corner surrounded by a small group of older scientists.

They came close but didn't interrupt as they listened in.

"The form this is in will work for what needs to be done immediately, however, we need to push for a quicker more broader dispersal of the cure to catch what Commander Feral and Razor fail to find after tonight's hunt," Konway said, gravely. "I want you to push the envelope and give each team a sample of the formula and figure out a better method of dispersal. I need something by tomorrow morning. The longer this goes on, more Katizens will be lost to the vampire mutation."

"Sir, trying to hurry such an experiment could have unwanted side effects that could do more harm to the victims. Longer testing could prevent that from happening," one of his scientists objected.

"I'm aware of this, Jason, however, we simply don't have the luxury of time to test the formula for side effects. Hopefully, whatever those might be will not be too harmful, though, I don't know what could be more harmful than being dead. Once the emergency is over, only then will we have time to fix anything that might come up from using the cure. If you think you have enough time to do multiple tests, I certainly won't tell you not to do them. The safer we can make the antidote the less likely we will have to deal with side effects," Konway soothed his group's concerns.

"However, that being said, if you don't have time to do more tests keep in mind saving lives is our primary goal and ending the threat of the vampire mutation so keep your focus firmly on that. Now, get to your work stations and let's get on this," Konway ordered them.

The scientists weren't particularly happy but dispersed like a flock of geese for various parts of the lab and immediately set about instructing their techs on what was required. The level of noise increased as did the activity.

Satisfied, Konway started to turn toward his own work station when Felina and T-Bone moved to his side. He gave them a wane smile.

"I take it you've got the cure in some form right now for Razor and Feral to use?" T-Bone asked him.

"Almost.....the formula has been made up but we are still doing tests on it for safety issues. We will have it ready for them when it's dark," Konway assured them.

"In what form is this first batch going to be in?" Felina asked.

"Right now, all we've been able to come up with is injectable......." Konway began before T-Bone nearly jumped down his throat.

"You serious?" He nearly shouted. "That would require them to get very close to insure a hit which means darting while avoiding being attacked. This was the best you could do?"

Felina pulled the angry SWAT Kat back, even though she wasn't happy either by the news.

"Dr. Konway, this is really a dangerous way to try and get every vamp they can find."

"I know this Lieutenant but no matter how fast we work, it still takes time to brew the antidote as it is and you want it by tonight. That just doesn't leave any time to make any other form of it.....believe me.......I would rather have a quicker dispersal method but that.....takes.....time," Konway stressed tightly.

Felina sighed and hugged herself. What her uncle and Razor were faced with was darting their prey while trying to keep from being killed themselves.

"Well, then I hope Razor can come up with a way to quick fire several darts at a time," T-Bone said angrily, turning on his heel he left the lab.

Frowning, she hurried after him. He lead her to the flight line and the Turbokat. There he stopped. Placing one paw on his precious jet, he stared at the city skyline as shadows began to cover it with the slow departure of the sun.

"Razor will come up with a solution, T-Bone. He always does," Felina said quietly.

T-Bone didn't answer for a long moment. "It isn't so much what he has to do, Felina. It's that he's doing it without me as his backup," he murmured unhappily.

She sighed, reaching out and giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I know. You're a team and you want to be there by his side as you've always been. I hope they succeed and make it back to us safely. Whether my uncle thinks so or not, we need you two."

"Thanks," he said distantly, keeping his eyes on the lowering sun. "Almost time for them to be getting up," he said some minutes later.

"Yeah, most likely," she said then turned to walk back inside. After another moment's contemplation, he did the same.


	10. Chapter 10

**VAMPIRE STALKER**

Chapter 10: Hunting Vampires 1

_**Author's Note: Complete rewrite to incorporate a different plan of action by Razor and Feral. **_

When the sun had sunk completely below the horizon, Feral and Razor woke up. Their eyes glowed eerily in the darkened bedroom. Nearly at the same time, the pair made for the tiny fridge.

Snarling at each other, they grabbed the bags and moved to different parts of the room to greedily gulp down their dinner.

"That didn't help at all," Razor hissed angrily, tossing his bags in the trash.

"Can't be helped," Feral rumbled tautly. "Felina should have more for us at the lab so let's go!"

They wasted no more time and left the room they had shared and hurried to the main tower, hunger goading them. They made sure no one was in the elevator when they made for the lab, they didn't need accidents now.

They moved in tandem down the hall and hissed at anyone that got too close to them, scaring enforcers and civilians alike.

Felina was striding up the hall to the lab, over her arm a bag filled with blood plasma when the two hungry half vamps came up behind her and growled nearly making her jump out of her fur. She looked to one side and winced at the sight of her uncle's predatory gleam as he stared at her bag and sniffed the air loudly.

She stopped immediately and handed out a bag a piece to the pair then started walking again for the lab. The two altered Kats sucked down the blood then hurried after her. In the lab, T-Bone was surprised when the doors burst open followed by Felina's rather nervous form clutching a bag. He soon learned why when his partner and Feral appeared right on her heels. Concerned, he quickly rushed to her side.

Just as he got close to her, the Lieutenant halted in her tracks and turned around quickly to hand out a blood bag to each of the hungry pair. Peering over her shoulder into the bag, T-Bone noted there were four left. He reached around her and took two bags then waved them before his partner's face drawing him away from the she-kat while Felina did the same with her uncle.

Dr. Konway and his assistant were walking toward them as the two half vamps hungrily slurped down the blood. The assistant, Dr. Resdon, paled visibly at the sight but managed to keep his dinner down as he and his superior halted before the group. He watched as the Lieutenant collected the empty bags and threw them away in a nearby biological hazard's trash bin.

The lead scientist used that moment to speak to the Commander, "Sir, we have the antidote made, however, we haven't had time to make it in a more dispersable form. That, unfortunately, will take many more hours to accomplish."

"What do you mean?" Feral said, finally able to focus on something other than his hunger.

"For the purpose of your hunt tonight we could only get an injectable form of it done. Given more time, we hope to have a gaseous form developed so that the city could be saturated," Konway explained.

"Injectable?" Feral blurted, eyes widening in consternation.

"Easy, Commander. It's not a really great way to do this but I can make a weapon that can shoot out multiple darts in one go. Just give me an hour to convert the four glovatrixes to do it. Though, I'll have to use your R&D section to get it done," Razor said calmly, his mind already making alterations to something he had on his glovatrix that could do the trick.

"A delay we didn't need but there's no help for it," Feral grunted in annoyance.

"Uh, there's something else I need to tell you, sir," Konway broke in, a little more nervous this time.

Feral frowned but paused and inclined his head questioningly.

"The antidote will work on a fully altered Kat but we aren't certain what it will do to you two who are only half altered. Furthermore, tests indicate that if you stay in this form another forty-eight hours, you might never be able to return to normal," Konway said worriedly.

Razor and Feral froze at that bit of news. T-Bone and Felina looked sick with concern.

Feral led out a sigh. "Well, there's nothing we can do about that. We are the only ones who can safely ferret out the vamps before there are far too many of them to stamp out. Even if we don't manage to find all of them tonight, at least we will have insured there aren't too many more new ones being made and those should be taken out with the dispersable cure."

"Razor...." T-Bone asked, hesitatingly.

"He's right, buddy. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't try. We'll worry about the cure later. Right now, it's important that I alter one of my weapons to shoot darts. While I'm doing that, you need to go reload and refuel the jet," the smaller SWAT Kat said with resignation and finality.

Not happy with his partner's decision, T-Bone nonetheless, backed off.

Feral, however, had more to say, "okay, listen up, here's the plan; as the city is large and there's no way we can cover it in one night on the bike, Razor and I have decided to be in the Turbokat, that way we can cover more ground. Along with my troops we will start our search pattern from where the first concentration of vampires appeared and spread out from there. As soon as you and Felina find our vamps, Razor and I will drop down and take them out. It does mean a lot of up and down for us but I simply don't see another way of getting this done in one night."

T-Bone frowned but was forced to nod in agreement. "Yeah, you've got a point. There really isn't a faster way to do this, also, with you aboard, if your troops find a target, we can get there faster aboard the Turbokat."

"Exactly!" Feral grunted.

"So where is the supposed starting point," T-Bone asked.

"On 5th St. and Baily Ave," Feral said referring to the report he was holding.

"Are you sure this is the best way to find them? Seems more hit and miss to me," T-Bone asked skeptically.

Feral shrugged, "it's the best guess we have and we're also going by how the vampires act. Being half-vamps has given us sorta of a unique insight on how they are reacting. They don't really have any brain to think with."

"Yeah, the only thing on their minds is hunger so they will simply keep moving forward until they find a warm body then hide from the dawn." Razor chimed in. "We've sorta dried up their supply so they have to move further and further outward. They might even turn on each other as they become more desperate to find food. It may be hit and miss, but it's all we've got to start with right now."

All T-Bone could do was sigh and throw his paws out. Taking that as an end to the questions, Feral gestured for Razor to follow him and the two made for the R&D Lab carrying all four Glovatrixes with them.

At their exit, Konway turned away and issued orders to his techs to finish up making darts as quick as they could, a great many were going to be needed before the night was over.

Telling her he'd be back in about thirty minutes, T-Bone did as Razor instructed and left for their hangar to reload his armaments. When he returned, Felina insured he was able to refuel from enforcer supplies without interference.

While Razor worked on modifying the glovatrixes, Feral contacted his squadron leaders and insured the crews were ready to launch on his command in about an hour. They would leave in one group and head for the target destination then disperse from that point. He truly hoped they managed to win this thing by tomorrow night. He wasn't that hopeful they would succeed tonight since there were too many places for the creatures to hide. However, after the gaseous form of the cure was made he hoped more would be returned to normal. He grimaced to himself as he thought about how he and Razor would have to stay as they were to search all the dark places for those who didn't come out where the gas could reach them. He just knew his niece and Razor's partner were not going to like that at all. He sighed, there was no help for it so he pushed that concern to the back of his mind for later.

While he'd been thinking and planning, Razor was just finishing his work. He nudged Feral and had him take two of the glovetrixes as they headed back up to the lab. There they handed the glovatrixes to T-Bone and Felina and loaded them up with hypos. T-Bone also reloaded his and Felina's with more slicer and spider chain missiles.

"Alright, there's one more than we have to do before we leave and that's deal with the poor souls in the vaults. Hope none of the have started to cannabilize one another," Feral grunted unhappily as he finished loading his own glovatrix. "How many of these things have you made, Konway?"

"Over three thousand, sir. My techs are continuing to make more as we speak. Each of these boxes," Konway said putting a paw on one of four boxes on the table beside him, ".....holds one thousand darts each."

"Good work," Feral said then turned to the three beside him, "let's get this done and get out to hunt."

T-Bone, Razor, and Felina nodded grimly and following him as Feral headed out of the lab and made for the elevator. Within minutes they were down at the armory and walking to where the two special vaults stood with guards before each of them.

Feral halted before the first one. He turned his head to look at Felina and T-Bone. "You two stay back and that includes you two," he indicated the two guards. "We'll stand before the door as it opens so all we need you to do is keep the door from opening any further than a crack," he ordered.

The two guards, Felina, and T-Bone moved to stand behind the door. Feral reached for the locking mechanism and entered his code.

"Ready?" He barked, holding up his weapon.

"Ready!" Came multiple responses.

Feral reached for the long heavy lever on the thick door and shoved it down then carefully pulled it open. The four behind the door quickly put their shoulders against it when it began to move by itself.

Through the crack, Feral and Razor could only see multiple glowing eyes and gleaming fangs, many paws with extended claws tried to swipe at the pair, the many bodies trying to force the door open further to get to the smell of food.

Methodically, Feral and Razor began shooting. Razor had dropped to a crouch while Feral fired above him. The machine pistols made soft phutttting......sounds as darts flew into the mass of bodies. Screams filled the air as the vamps were driven from the door. Within minutes, Razor and Feral had managed to get all those that had been reaching out.

"We need a light....." Feral muttered staring into the pitch dark of the room. His eyes could make out a little of what was inside but not enough to know if they'd hit all the occupants.

Razor and Feral put on protective lenses before the smaller SWAT Kat switched on his powerful flash and pointed it into the room where screams were emanating, whether from the darts or the light, he couldn't tell at first.

"Well, will you look at that!" Razor exclaimed.

Feral just shook his head. "Well, I'll give Dr. Konway credit, this stuff sure works fast," he commented.

Inside the room, bodies were writhing and shrieking in pain but as the pain passed a normal Kat was left laying on the floor panting and confused. Studying all the bodies carefully, they found a few still unaltered and fired a dart quickly at them.

"Okay, that's one down and the second to do," Feral said with satisfaction. "You can let go of the door now and open it the rest of the way. We'll call a medical team down once we finish with the second vault."

They repeated the procedures on the second vault. Thirty minutes later, both vaults now had living Kats in them with only the loss of a few Kats due to side effects of the cure or from being attacked by the others before they were returned to normal.

Feral summoned medical help then he and Razor followed by T-Bone and Felina returned to the lab to reload. As the group walked into the lab, Dr. Konway was waiting, giving them an anxious look of inquiry.

"Worked like a charm, doc," Razor said, pleased.

Konway's shoulders slumped in relief. "Thank god! That's the best news I've heard in a long while," he said then nodded at the four boxes waiting on a table nearby. "Okay, these have been refilled and here's a fifth box we've managed to fill with five hundred more."

"Great," Feral grunted, taking one box as the others took one a piece as well. "Time to take off," he said leading the way to the elevators. Everyone piled into the first available elevator and went up to the flight line.

Moments later, they were hurrying to the Turbokat parked on the end of the flight line. Razor signaled the cargo door to open and he and Feral ran up the ramp while Felina and T-Bone leaped into the now open cockpit. After securing his harness, Feral took a moment to use his radio to order all squadrons to launch while Razor closed the cargo door. The thrum of the jet engines poured through his body as he finished his call and put his radio away.

Smoothly, T-Bone raised the jet on VTOL and moved off the deck before switching to forward motion and heading for their destination. Around him, choppers were taking off and just behind them, the jets prepared to launch. The mission had begun.


	11. Chapter 11

**VAMPIRE STALKER**

Chapter 11: Hunting Vampires 2

_**Author's Note: Okay, so I didn't get this done before Halloween, so sue me! LOL It just got too busy around here and I didn't get any writing done. Also, I was forced to nearly rewrite chapter 10 completely because I found having Razor and Feral use the cyclotron wasn't feasible if they had to search a large area of city for vamps that have spread out so I had to change a lot to have them ride along on the Turbokat and extend the time they have to be altered back. So, please reread chapter 9 to follow what is going on now.**_

* * *

Reaching the area they planned to begin their hunt, T-Bone halted the Turbokat on VTOL and called Razor in the cargo hold.

"Okay, which way do you think we should go?"

Razor repeated the question for Feral and waited.

Feral sat silent for a long moment then he shrugged. "Pick one! Hardly matters which way we start at," he grunted.

Nodding, Razor relayed the message. Moments later, they felt the jet switch from holding to forward motion. It was boring for Razor and Feral to sit and do nothing as they waited for the pair above them to spot their targets.

The chopper and jet squadrons fanned out in four directions from where the Turbokat had started the search. A large group of choppers were spread out behind the jet as they searched with large spotlights to peer through the gathering night looking for targets. The enforcer jets took a slightly higher elevation and covered a larger area so more of the city could be searched, keeping watch for vamps and fools straying out despite the danger.

The search was painfully slow-going and more than an hour passed with no signs of their altered brethren. The vamps had apparently gone some distance before hiding that morning. In the back of their minds, they kinda hoped the lack of sightings might mean they had gotten all the new vamps but even Feral didn't believe that, there were simply too many places for the creatures to hide.

"Alpha flight 10 calling SWAT Kats!" A voice suddenly called out over T-Bone's radio.

"SWAT Kats here! What'cha got!" T-Bone quickly responded.

"Vamps spotted at fourth and Delta! You copy?"

"Roger, we copy, going to check it out, hold your position till I get there!" T-Bone acknowledged as he turned the Turbokat and briefed his partner below. Reaching the area, he spotted the enforcer jet above him then turned his attention to the street below. He went to VTOL and dropped lower for a closer look.

At first he and Felina saw nothing but then........

"T-Bone, three o'clock!"

"I see 'em. Razor! Vamps.....we see at least four of them below us!" T-Bone told his partner.

"Roger, prepare to launch the cyclotron!"

"Roger!"

Razor climbed aboard the cyclotron with Feral squeezing on behind him. It was going to be a very tight fit in the capsule.

"Launch cyclotron!" Razor barked into his radio.

T-Bone responded by hitting a button on his console. Instantly the encapsulated cyclotron shot out from the belly of the jet and flew toward the ground. The capsule burst apart just before the bike reached the ground and roared away.

They were on the vamps in seconds. The creatures were ravenous, having not found any living Kats to feed on, so were primed to jump on the pair heading for them. Feral quickly held out his glovatrix and began firing with deadly accuracy taking at least two in his first burst. Razor had managed to get one before the last one leaped on him.

"Arrgh!" Razor screamed as the thing clawed his front.

"Take that!" Feral barked, shooting the vamp in the face over Razor's shoulder. It fell away screaming. "You okay?"

"Yeah, stings like hell!" Razor snarled as he brought the bike to a sliding halt.

The two of them quickly dismounted and stood back to back as they scanned the area for more vamps. The ones they'd hit were fast turning into regular Kats and were now in danger of being taken again.

"This is Feral, location fourth and Delta, any chopper in the vicinity......need pickup of restored victims," he commanded.

"Roger, Enforcer One! Chopper Alpha twenty responding. Be there in T-three minutes."

"Roger!" Feral turned to Razor. "We need to collect them and put them near the bike so we can guard them until they arrive."

"Right, I'll go get those two over there," Razor acknowledged as he ran toward a pair of victims a few feet apart from each other, while keeping a watchful eye for more vamps.

Feral went for the one that had jumped them and dragged him to the bike.

The newly returned to normal Kat stared at him in confusion and fear. "Stay here and don't move. You'll be evac'ed in a few minutes." He left the poor Kat leaning against the cyclotron as he hurried off for the last one, a block away.

Razor was nearly back to the bike, dragging two victims when he heard screams and roars. From a nearby alley a group of some ten vamps, came charging toward them.

Feral had managed to bring his last victim to the bike when he heard the cries and saw how far away Razor still was. He ran to the SWAT Kat and passed him, took a stance and began firing methodically into the oncoming hoard.

Razor ran faster, though it hurt his passengers to be dragged over the ground. He figured, better beat up a little rather than dead. He dropped them near the bike and yelled to them to stay put then turned around to protect them from the attacking vamps.

Feral had made a sizeable dent in the attackers but soon was overwhelmed by them. They dragged him to the ground but he fought viciously against getting torn to pieces or bit again.

Razor quickly picked off the pack attacking Feral, none of which had spotted him yet, but that didn't last long as the scent of warm blood from the newly cured victims reached their noses.

The SWAT Kat found himself facing a small, fast group of four vamps charging at him. He fired a brace of needles into the group, dropping them just a foot from him.

Feral stood up among the writhing Kats, a little worse for wear and bleeding in several places. The chopper arrived, shining a light down at them and nearly blinding Feral and Razor.

Moving off and turning their backs from the bright light, the pair kept watch for any more vamps as the chopper landed just a few feet away.

A crew of three leaped out of the chopper and made for the victims.

"Hurry up loading them before more show up!" Feral bellowed over the noise of the chopper.

The crew did their best to get all the victims loaded. They had gotten at least eight of them aboard when more vamps appeared.

"I'll take the left, you the right!" Feral shouted, moving away from the rescue operation.

Razor didn't respond but did head to the right and was firing on the run.

The two took out the four that had appeared, but now there were more victims and the chopper couldn't take anymore. Feral quickly summoned more but it began to look like the vamps had spread the word and were converging on the scene.

On one paw that was a good thing since it meant they would no longer have to hunt them, but on the other paw, it meant the enforcers and newly cured victims were in danger and there was only two Kats that were protecting them.

"Okay, I don't think we thought through this very well!" T-Bone said grimly, watching from the Turbokat above.

"Only thing we can do is go down there and help load victims faster," Felina said, scared for her uncle and all the other innocents below them.

"You're right. Tell your uncle what we're going to do!"

"Roger.....Enforcer One!"

"Feral here!"

"Uncle.... we're landing to help evac victims faster......have no more choppers land for the moment!"

"Roger, good idea." Feral quickly agreed then called on his radio, "Chopper leader, send no more choppers to the ground. Take a holding pattern. Turbokat is landing to take more victims, they have more room! Over!" He received a quick acknowledgment.

He turned around momentarily to bellow at the crew still on the ground, "after you load, you two stay here to help the Turbokat load victims."

Turning back to the street to keep watch, he heard the last loaded chopper go airborne then the roar of the Turbokat landing. Razor and he moved in a circular pattern around the rescue group as Felina, T-Bone and the two enforcers loaded the rest of the victims aboard the jet.

Suddenly from all directions, vamps appeared. To their dismay, it seemed they had really underestimated how fast the affliction had spread. A quick scan told Feral they were facing some thirty vamps.

In machine gun fashion, Feral and Razor began spraying the on coming hoard. T-Bone and Felina felt fear race up their spines as they frantically loaded the last of the victims and closed the cargo door. But instead of taking off, they stayed to assist the beleaguered pair.

T-Bone used the Turbokat to fire several net missiles, helping to lower the number of attackers while Felina fired from the open cockpit more smaller nets from the glovatrix she had been given.

At one point Razor was briefly overwhelmed but using net missiles then switching to needles and firing into the nets, he managed to take out a large number. His body burned from the number of bites and scratches he'd received, his g-suit looked a mess from being torn by long claws.

Feral wasn't looking any better as his own flight suit was ripped to shreds in many places. His face was a rictus of fury and determination as he continued to fire despite being taken down a few more times.

The battle raged for what seemed like hours but turned out to be only twenty minutes. Feral was heaving for breath and hunger was beginning to drive him crazy when he shot the last vamp that had leaped from a window of an abandoned building at him.

Razor was prowling the nearby alleyways for more vamps. Feral joined him while behind them, the Turbokat crew and enforcer chopper crews, who'd noted the danger was over for the moment and dared to land, helped finish the removal of the newly cured Kats.

"Razor, we're heading back with our load, are you two going to be okay?" T-Bone asked worriedly, as he took the jet skyward.

"We'll be okay, Feral is calling for cover. Go ahead!" Razor told him returning his attention to his search.

"Doesn't seem to be anymore near here, want to search by bike?" Razor asked Feral over their comm after searching for more than half an hour.

"Yeah, probably a good idea," Feral agreed, "see you back at your bike." He turned around and headed back toward the main battlefield.

They met up without incident, back at the cyclotron. They climbed aboard and were soon zooming off down one of the dark streets. Above them choppers continued the search as did the jets higher and further out from them but after several more hours of searching, the Turbokat having returned to join them, there were no more signs of the creatures and dawn was approaching.

"Time to head in. I think we made a significant dent in them.......at least I hope we have," Razor sighed in resignation.

"I hope so too," Feral grunted then tapped his radio. "All forces....return to base!"

"Ready for pickup, Razor!" T-Bone called down, bringing the jet into alignment with the cyclotron's path.

"Roger, loading in 1.....2.....3!" Razor intoned as he jumped the bike into the open, hovering launch chute.

Within moments they were once more aboard and T-Bone headed the jet back to Enforcer Headquarters.

The cured Kats had been taken to the hospital to be cared for. The Turbokat had helpfully carried the ones changed back at Enforcer Headquarter to the hospital as well after dropping off Feral and Razor.

Both half vamps now needed to make the decision to take the cure themselves. But first, they were ravenous. Dr. Konway had ensured he had a stock of blood on paw for the pair and was taken a little aback when the two snatched the bags from his paws and began feasting hurriedly on it.

Their hunger relieved and dawn making an appearance, any questions or decision would have to wait until evening. Feral wanted to debrief but was sore, irritable, and tired so reluctantly went off to his quarters followed by Razor.

They took showers to wash and disinfect their bites then went to bed.

T-Bone yawned and stretched. "Hey, doc! How are you coming on making the cure into a gaseous form?"

"Almost completed. We should have enough made and ready for dispersal by late tomorrow, at least that's my hope," Dr. Konway said, rubbing tired eyes.

"If it's far enough along to do without your monitoring, doc, you really need to get some sleep. That's what I plan to do. I'm wiped!" T-Bone told him.

"So am I," Felina sighed, her body sore all over. "Do as he says, Dr. Konway. You'll be better for it and be able to catch anything that needs double-checking when you have fresher eyes." She ordered.

"Yes ma'am. I guess you're right. I'm totally wrung out and could use a few hours sleep," he reluctantly agreed.

"Great! See you both tomorrow afternoon," T-Bone grunted, heading out of the lab and up to the flight line. He couldn't wait to take a shower and get some sleep. Tomorrow, he hoped Razor would be back to normal and the city as well.


	12. Chapter 12

**VAMPIRE STALKER**

Chapter 12: The End of the Vamp War!

The day seemed to move way too fast to Dr. Konway's mind. He had tried to get some sleep but was only able to rest a couple of hours which was spent tossing and turning. But resting his eyes and stopping for even that short amount of time, had refreshed his outlook. When he swept back into the lab, he immediately swooped down on his team and demanded they go over the formula, breaking it down completely and examining every bit of it.

It took over two hours but when they finished going over it thoroughly, Konway was finally satisfied that the gaseous form of the cure would do what they hoped it would. All they needed now was a test case to try it on. They lucked out when a vamp was captured by accident by a cruising chopper team. They couldn't get the hunters attention so decided to try and capture the creature themselves.

Though extremely nervous and scared, the team of three chased down the single vamp for some ten minutes before managing to drop one of the SWAT Kats special nets over the creature. Pulling it up only as far as the belly of the chopper, they hauled their swinging passenger all the way back to headquarters. The battle armored enforcers waiting for any vamps brought in, hurried out and took charge of the vampire.

Konway, had learned of the prisoner and was excited. He headed, immediately, to where the vampire was being kept, in one of the two armory vaults. With the help of the armored enforcers keeping the door from being shoved open by the super strong creature, Konway poured the gas into the room by way of a fire extinguisher they had converted to shoot the gas where they wanted it.

He hit it directly in the face as it charged the door, then the guards shoved the door shut quickly. Konway counted down five minutes then the door was cracked open again. The vamp was gone and in its place was a tired and confused but normal Kat sitting forlornly in the middle of the floor.

After putting the poor Kat through extensive tests, Konway declared the gas safe. If there were any side effects, they wouldn't show for some time but at the moment, the immediate result was a success. Everyone in the lab cheered when they heard that. Now all they had to do was begin producing mass quantities of it and fast.

By the time T-Bone and Felina returned to the lab, Dr. Konway was nearly finished making a city-wide batch of gas in a huge dispersal tank.

"How's it going, doc?" T-Bone asked the second he found the doctor.

Konway smiled tiredly. "I have good news. In another hour, that tank you see there in that chamber will be filled with the gas that you will disperse over the city," he said, satisfaction filling his voice and manner.

"Way to go! I can hardly wait to get started," T-Bone said relieved.

"I think we should do the job the minute the tank is filled and not wait until your partner and my uncle rise for the night," Felina decided.

"I agree with you Lieutenant. The gas should penetrate most everywhere and I made sure it would linger for more than six hours after dispersal before dissipating so that any vampires still out there will inhale it the moment they step foot out of their hiding places.

"Perfect.....I'm itching to get started. But we have to wait so....T-Bone how about we get some dinner?" Felina suggested.

"Good idea. See you in a little while, doc!" T-Bone said as he and Felina left the lab feeling happier than they'd had since this whole disaster began.

The pair had a very enjoyable dinner, relaxing and just talking, drawing out the time before going back to the lab to give Konway as much time as he needed.

Stepping back in the lab, they noted the tank was no longer in the chamber. As a matter of fact, it didn't seem to be anywhere.

Looking puzzled, T-Bone was about to ask when Konway came up to them, grinning, and said, "the tank is on the flight line awaiting to be hooked up to your jet."

"Wow, radical! We'll get down there immediately!" The burly tabby said, pleased and excited. He and Felina left for the flight line.

The mechanics and scientists were waiting for them when they arrived and in less than thirty minutes, the tank was hooked up with a switch for T-Bone to throw to release the gas plus instructions on how best to do the dispersal.

T-Bone let Felina take the map they were given and both listened carefully to the meteorologist's instructions. Measurements had been taken to determine the proper pattern of dispersal for the maximum success of covering the city thoroughly and insuring the gas penetrated to street level.

For that to work, T-Bone would have to act as if he were threading a needle through the corridors of the city at a very low level since the vamps were mainly hiding at ground and lower levels, none had been found on any upper floors.

Prepared and ready to go, the pair hoped into the cockpit and were soon off into the sky. Following the map carefully, T-Bone flew and Felina directed as they buzzed in and around the buildings of the city.

Many of the city dwellers were confused, in a few cases afraid, and others thrilled to see the Turbokat moving around the city and so close to the ground. Some felt comfort in that, thinking the SWAT Kats were hunting the creatures that so frightened the populace while others were a little annoyed by the constant roaring of the jet's engines echoing loudly in the city canyons.

Ann Gora, Kats Eye News tried to follow the jet in her news copter but most of the time they couldn't keep up nor could they find out what was going on. She did note and wondered about the strange tank strapped to the belly of the jet. The gas was nearly invisible so she couldn't see what they were doing. She also noticed there were no enforcer patrols around either. She could only surmise the SWAT Kats were on a mission with the full cooperation of the enforcers......however strange that might be.

The news reporters, like Ann nor the city populace were aware Feral and Razor were no longer completely Kats and the enforcers as well as the Mayor's office ensured no one would ever know.

After some two hours dispersing the nearly invisible gas, the tank read empty so they returned to Enforcer Headquarters, praying what they'd just completed would be successful.

The sun was just going down as they landed on the flight line. They leaped down and left the techs to remove the tank from the Turbokat while they went to see Dr. Konway. Walking into the lab they found Feral and Razor were up and waiting for them.

"How did it go?" Feral asked, having been briefed by Konway on what was going on.

"Fantastic! We encountered no problems and covered the entire city," T-Bone said, grinning.

"Excellent! So now it's a waiting game to see if it worked," Feral sighed.

"You two should see if the cure will work on you. Aren't you close to running out of time?" T-Bone asked worriedly.

"Well, we should stay as we are until we're sure the gas worked......." Razor began reluctantly before Dr. Konway interrupted.

"There's no need for you to delay changing back. The gas has been proven to be 100% effective so if there are some vampires that escape the gas, we only have to send enforcers out with mini-tanks filled with the gas to take care of it," he said firmly.

Feral's eyebrows rose to his hairline. "Well that's good to know, so I guess we should try and get back to normal then," he said looking over at Razor.

"I guess so. Hope it works as quickly as it did for all the full vamps," Razor said uneasily.

'Me too!' Feral said in his mind, not wanting to show how uneasy he felt about it as well.

"Good, then follow me please," Konway said, leading the two to a secured room with two beds. "If you'll please lay down....." He gestured to the beds. As soon as they did, he apologized as he quickly applied very heavy duty restrains on both their paws and ankles.

They stared at the ceiling stoically, though inside they were feeling fear and nervousness about this whole thing. However, neither one wanted to remain like this the rest of their lives despite the increased senses and strength they'd gained. Needing blood and being a danger to their loved ones were the over riding factors making them willing to take the risk of attempting to return to normal.

Not wanting to draw out their fear any longer than necessary, Konway quickly injected both males then hurried everyone out of the room. The risk of the two changing all the way to vamps was small but he didn't want to take the chance so they would watch outside the room for their safety.

Instantly, both toms screamed and thrashed about nearly ripping the restraints off. Razor felt on fire and not in a good way. The pain was incredible.

Feral roared in agony, desperately trying to break free and escape the pain any way he could. It seemed to last an eternity then suddenly coldness flowed over. Panic raced through his mind but his body began to feel like lead and wouldn't respond to his commands.

Over on the other bed, Razor was experiencing the same thing, terror beginning to roar through his mind but there was nothing he could do against the coldness then his breath was stolen away and so did his mind with the abruptness of a light switch being turned off.

Felina cried out in fear as she watched her uncle then Razor go still and unmoving. T-Bone cursed and raced back into the room with Konway and a medical team on his heels.

The medical team went to work, putting in breathing tubes, doing CPR and everything else they knew to do to revive the pair. After working on them for some five minutes, everyone was relieved when the monitors Razor and Feral had just been hooked up to began to show heartbeats and respirations but they were very slow and the pair didn't waken.

The lead physician shook his head, "according to their readings they should be conscious but they are not and I haven't a clue why not."

"It's possible they are in a temporary state of suspended animation while their bodies return to normal," Konway ventured to say.

The doctor stared at him then looked back at his patients. "Well your guess is better than anything else I can come up with since we're dealing with far too many unknowns here. All we can do is monitor them until they wake up," he said with a helpless shrug of his shoulders.

T-Bone leaned against the wall, his face a mask of fear and worry. He couldn't bear to lose his partner.

Felina didn't look any better as she held her uncle's paw and prayed he would recover and come back to her.

While night fell and former vampires were being found in dazed conditions around the part of town where Razor and Feral had fought them, the pair who risked much to save the city remained in a strange coma.

The enforcers went around the city and collected the former vampires, hauling them to the hospital for treatment and eventual releasal before the sun showed itself again.

The morning newscasts were full of the good news of the seeming end to the danger of being turned into vampires. Callie came to Enforcer Headquarters to get an update so a press release could be done, she found out about Feral and Razor. She stared at the pair through the observation glass and sighed. She added her prayers to the pair hovering over the ill Kats then left to inform the city officially that the danger was over.

Though upset about her uncle, Felina did take time to instruct the squadron leaders on outfitting the patrols, both ground and air, with tanks filled with the cure and to be alert on their rounds of the city. This was just a precaution she told them. They were fairly certain no more vamps were around since there had been no reports of sightings during the night but better safe than sorry.

Razor and Feral remained in comas for another six hours when finally, their monitors began to show an increase in the pairs heartbeats and breathing. Konway and the Dr. Temons were hovering close by as the two began to regain consciousness.

Razor stirred and moaned. He tried to raise a paw to rub his eyes but they wouldn't move. He panicked a little and began to struggle.

"Easy buddy, its okay. You're just restrained at the moment. How do you feel?" T-Bone asked anxiously.

The smaller SWAT Kat stopped struggling and lay still listening to his body. The burning hunger was gone and though he was hungry it was food not blood. He gave a grateful sigh and smiled.

"I feel great and I'm hungry for a nice pizza. No blood here!" He said happily.

T-Bone grinned in relief and quickly removed his friend's restraints.

At the same time, Feral was also coming around and made the same discovery.

"Oh Uncle! Are you alright now?" Felina asked, so relieved to see him aware again.

"Yes, I seemed to be," he said slowly. His body felt over tired and hungry plus thirsty but he felt normal. He took a deep breath and let it out in relief.

Felina released him from his restraints and helped him sit up. The doctor insisted on checking them both out before letting them go. It was annoying but Feral kept his mouth shut and let him take blood and do a full exam. He noted Razor was stoically doing the same.

Razor noted Feral glancing over at him and he flashed a smile. "I heard we succeeded. The city is safe," he said warmly.

Feral flashed a smile back. "Now that is good news to hear. Report Felina!" He barked at his niece.

Grinning impishly, Felina quickly told him what had been going on while the two of them were unconscious.

Feral nodded when she was done. "Glad I don't have to brief the Mayor or the city. All I want to do now is shower, eat, and get a mega coke!"

"That's sounds good to me too though I'll add going home to that list," Razor said cheekily.

Feral paused and gave the SWAT Kats a penetrating look. "Though I still can't sanction vigilantism, I do want to thank you both for getting the city through this crisis. Dr. Viper nearly succeeded this time."

"You're welcome. We worked rather well together," T-Bone said, cockily, grinning happily.

"Yes, I will admit we did. Now you'd better get! Your welcome is now rescinded before my enforcers begin to question my sanity," Feral snorted, only half serious.

"You don't have to tell us twice! I want out of here!" Razor snorted, climbing off the bed and turning to leave with his partner.

T-Bone gave Felina a quick hug on his way out. "You made a great co-pilot Lieutenant!"

"Great working with you T-Bone. Take care you two!" Felina said warmly.

They waved to the group and hurried out of the labs. Reaching the flight line, T-Bone was relieved to see the tank had been removed and the jet was ready to go. Leaping into the cockpit, they were up and off in moments.

"Aaahh, feels so good to be back where I belong!" Razor sighed.

"I missed you buddy! What was it like working with Feral?" T-Bone asked, curiously as he piloted them home.

"Different! He is a fierce fighter and a good leader. He may piss us off now and then but when it came to something this serious, he showed what he was made of," Razor said thoughtfully.

"Yeah, I have to agree, just wished he was like that all the time," T-Bone agreed.

"But then he wouldn't be Feral," his partner snorted.

The tabby chuckled, "yeah, guess you're right." In better humor, T-Bone relaxed and enjoyed the flight. Things were right in his world again and Megakat City had survived another near disaster.

The end!


End file.
